Redux I: Reality Redux
by ArchangelUK
Summary: Our world, their world, the Digital World - all will become one. This is Unification, this is the end. The only ones who can stop them? Two bungling anti-heros and the (rather miffed at being fictional) Digidestined. Beware the Keymaster!
1. Revelations :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_I do not own Digimon, the Internet, or any other place spiritual, physical or technological...  
Except for my bedroom..._

** Chapter 1: Revelations  
**

_DigiWorld_

"No, this isn't right... No, it is not."

Gennai mumbled taping away at a laptop reminiscent to the one carried by the DigiDestined of Knowledge. He looked at the sky, the clouds seemed to be fading away, the sky itself seemed almost to be fading. Closer and closer to transparency, it flared briefly a ripple of static arcing across the horizon.

_Real World_

ArchangelUK relaxed in his chair letting it recline to it's maximum, the superbly soft and shiny leather surface remarkably comforting to his aching back. Of course, this was not the case, his back still ached frightfully strained while playing ten pin bowling of all things. The chair was not a luxurious leather recliner, but a somewhat battered computer chair second-hand from his father's ex-workplace. The cotton, severely worn in places to the point of thread bare had seen too many days and too many derrières before it had reached AAUK's house. The plastic groaned and the sticky joints cracked in protest as he made himself more comfortable, turning his head back to the monitor. "Five blooming minutes." He moaned, "Can't MSN be a bit more reliable?" The computer did not reply, that is until a 'ding dong' sound announced that the sign-in process was complete and that he 'had mail'.

"The usual nonsense of course, one from DC saying he'll be on at around ten... Free credit card, hmm, increase your what? I think I'll block that in future and one from... Some weird e-mail." The e-mail appeared to be in some strange language, like a cross between French and Japanese - AAUK had never been a good linguist.

_'A'eees coloir dei fol, de suete malarge q'uil wraz Zu'Clarrn fier naqt voulandre sor-lou.'_

"Yeah, okay..."

A second 'ding dong' sound indicated the appearance of Digicowboy online, intrigued by the e-mail A began to compose a message.

_DigiWorld_

Gennai was disturbed from his worrying by an elbow in the ribs, an irritated look upwards showed the elbow to belong to a tall boy with an immaculately quoiffured hair.

"Dude," Matt said agitatedly, "You're the expert in these things. Is it supposed to do that?" Gennai raised an eyebrow in reply.

"What do you think?" The old man was obviously in no mood for such a ridiculous question.

"You tell me. It's your sky." Matt snorted. It was Izzy who finally ended the exchange, pulling Matt away from an increasingly steaming Gennai

"I think Matt, It's safe to assume that the sky vanishing isn't a normal or healthy occurrence."

The ripples of static increased, Izzy joined Gennai at the laptop and the two began taping furiously. The other eleven DigiDestined and their partners began to huddle together for warmth, the temperature had suddenly become icy cold their breath created small clouds of condensation.

Joe turned to his partner Gomamon, the white coloured Digimon looked even paler than usual, indeed he seemed to be making a very considerable effort just to stay still. His head was swaying back and forth, it looked like he'd collapse at any second.  
"I'm not feeling so good." Gomamon groaned, a quick glance around by the others revealed similar conditions, Agumon fell over backwards causing Tai to cry out in alarm.

"Me neither..." The little Digimon whispered, though whether through weakness or choice it was difficulty to tell. Gatomon, one of the few still standing upright moved gingerly over towards Kari, her feline balance a distinct advantage.

"Kari? I feel... uhh..." With that Gatomon devolved back to her rookie form Salamon.

"Salamon!" Kari cried out in alarm, sentiments echoed by TK who had to dive to catch Patamon who suddenly fell from the sky like a stone. Tentomon who had been the only other Digimon in-flight collapsed against Izzy and slid to the ground.

Internet

The being known as Digicowboy signed, in being greeted by the one with the user name 'AAUK' with a "Hey DC".

"Hey man, how's things going?" DC typed back in reply.

"Not bad," AAUK gave a shrug on the other end of the connection, "I've just updated my section on our website and added a new Takari and 'Rants' section."

"Cooly."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, wassup?"

Well, I got this really weird e-mail and I wondered if you've got something similar?"

There was a half minute pause, "-Did it have weird words on it?"

AAUK indicated yes.

Digicowboy frowned, "I got something that looked like Welsh..."

"Welsh?" AAUK typed back, bringing up a wide eyed smilie of doom.

"Oh I don't know what it meant. Strange ne?"

"Mmm, indeed. I think the net is acting a bit weird today, I can't get into half the sites I try and the connection time was ages."

"Could be my man, it took ages for me to get online." He agreed, "MSN is all weird colours too, hey, maybe Microsoft is messing about again."

AAUK sighed before simply typing: Could be.

_DigiWorld_

"This can only mean one thing, the time of the unification is at hand." Gennai said standing up, "The Unification. Oh I have dreaded this day for many years."

"Unification?" blinked Ken, the others looked equally confused except for Izzy who remained eerily silent.

"The time when the real world and the DigiWorld will shift together and become partly merged."

"You mean our world is going to merge with the DigiWorld?" TK spluttered, "But after all we've done to prevent the barriers breaking down, to maintain the balance..."

"No, not your world." Gennai said looking at Izzy, Izzy looked back face gaunt his shoulders seemingly carrying an invisible burden.

"Perhaps Gennai, it's time they knew."

"Knew what?" Demanded Tai, "What is it you two know that we don't? Spill it!"

"It's well, about us."

"What about us?"

"How do I put this Izzy?"

"Just tell them..

"TELL US WHAT?" They yelled in unison.

Gennai took a glance around eying up all the Digimon and their partners, how could he tell them the truth? What would it mean? How would they react? He had scarcely believed it himself when he and Izzy had discovered the shocking revelation, but there was too much evidence out there to deny it.

"We don't exist."

_Real World_

AAUK smacked the side of his monitor, the buzzing noise finally ceased and colour returned to the screen. "OK, what the hell is going on?" He checked the Internet link which was still connected thankfully, another message from DC appeared on his screen.

Digicowboy was having similar issues, "Are you having problems at your end?"

"You bet, my computers gone all screwy."

"Me too. We haven't been virused have we?"

" I don't think so. Try getting onto on contacting someone else. See if they've got trouble too.!"

"On it."

_DigiWorld_

"We don't exist?" Joe asked bewildered,

"No." Izzy shook his head.

"We're imaginary." Said Matt.

"Yes." The old man said quietly. TK stepped forward cradling a weak Patamon in his arms, Kari held on to his hand tightly, the other holding Salamon.

"So. You're telling us that our experiences, all the people we know, our Earth, the DigiWorld, our lives in general - never happened?"

"If that's true." Kari interrupted, "What are we?"

"We are... In essence, nothing more than cartoon characters."

"We all knew Davis was a loony toon, but you're saying we are too." Yolei said, pushing off the infuriated keeper of courage and friendship.

"Our world is imaginary, it was created long ago by those on the real Earth. Our universe is ever changing, our actions moving from scene to scene on an unseen script written by those in a different dimension. Something has happened to that 'link' and now we are merging with the real world at speed. The Digimon are losing their energy as the worlds merge, they are okay for now they will regain it in time."

"Is there anything we can do?" Sora stammered,

"The unification was prophesied long ago, the two worlds will partly merge, during this time two from the real world will join up with the DigiDestined to separate the DigiWorld and help restore it so that the merger will cease."

"What happens if the merger doesn't stop?" asked Mimi,

"Everything will be destroyed." Everyone stood, mouth open in amazement -

"Oh... nice." Was all Davis could say.

"There is a prophecy that two who know of our existence from the real world, will come to ours to help save it. They will be chosen as they are among those who are worthy enough to freely navigate the one place that constantly connects both worlds - the Internet."

"The Internet?" Tai asked, "The Internet is the link between our world and theirs."

"It is the gateway, the locked door few can open."

"We don't have to go into the Internet again do we? I got a headache last time." Moaned Tentomon, a worried frown on his insectal face, Gennai rolled his eyes.

"As I've said they will be coming here, now hold on everyone... 3,2,1 - Download!"

There was a flash of light and some digital static, and then there were screams as everything went dark.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

_Has the transfer been successful? Are AAUK and DC really the chosen two or is it much more complicated than that? (Probably not) Tune in when DC writes the next chapter of Digimon: Reality Redux!_

_**Ooooh, weird stuff there methinks. The next chapter in this 'gestalt fic' will be written by Digicowboy with the chapter after that written by me, and so on. Reviews are like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're going to get. But nice ones are fun!  
-**_**__****_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**

_****__Digicowboy c):o)  
_Sponsored (In no way at all) By - "Free your mind... via this toll gate."


	2. More Than You Thought :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_AAUK: Next chapter huh?  
DC: Yep, on your marks, get setdisclaimer. I did own Digimon once, but the small blue mice made me give it to the Japanese. Really. _

**Chapter 2: More Than You Thought...**

Suddenly, a burst of static flared across his computer screen, and the lights in his room went out. AAUK cursed. The bulb had blown. He glanced at his PC. It was still on, so there hadn't been a powercut. That was a small mercy, at least. Then his computer did something it had never done before: It flared briefly, then the screen opened like a rose-bud and sucked him in

A tunnel of light burst into being ahead of him, and he found himself dragged into it. He could hear screamingFeeling embarrassed, ArchangelUK realised that it was him, and stopped. Suddenly, the tunnel faded, and he was merely falling towards the ground. This could not really be called an improvement. He hit the unfamiliar ground with a thump and a muffled Ow!' Groaning theatrically, he rolled onto his back to look up at the sky. He frowned. 

He ventured. Too dark.

Roughly three metres above him, and two metres to his left, the air crackled and bent and released a bright point of light. On the cusp of hearing, but getting rapidly louder, AAUK could swear he could hear something. He could definitely hear it nowThen, with an accompanying , the point of light deposited Digicowboy face down in the dirt. 

Is that...you... DC? 

I hope notI feel terrible. You're ArchangelUK? 

I'm fairly sure, yes. 

Are we dead? 

I don't think so suddenly, the pair became aware of people watching them in wide eyed amazement. 

hazarded AAUK. 

Agreed DC, who then frowned. Is it me, or do they lookfamiliar somehow?. One of them, a guy in a white robe who looked suspiciously like Ewan McGregor in The Phantom Menace', closed down his laptop with a decisive sounding click'. 

Download completed. He announced. 

But they don't look all that different to us. Protested a kid with spiky brown hair, a pair of goggles and a jacket. DC was right. They did look familiar. And they sounded it as well. 

Leave it, Davis. They're clearly disorientated. Admonished Joe, moving to help the pair up. 

All the time. Replied DC absentmindedly, shakily getting up. AAUK held out an unsteady hand.

Three things. He stated. One: Where are we? Two: Who are you? And three: I think I'm about to throw up. 

_[Later on]_

the short version is that our twothree worlds are merging together, because of this Unification' thing, and we have to do something about it. Summarised DC. Gennai nodded. 

Yeah, that just about sums it up. 

And we do this how, exactly? asked ArchangelUK. Izzy shrugged in response to the question. 

We can't help you there. It's never happened before, after all. 

Well, not exactly helpful, but it's a start. Muttered AAUK, half to himself. Digicowboy narrowed his eyes as a thought struck home.   
Matt, can I ask you a question? 

The teenager shrugged. 

You know when Kari got taken to the Dark Ocean for the first time, what were you doing? Matt looked faintly puzzled. 

Let me seeI didn't find out about the Dark Ocean thing until the day after it happened, so that must mean his lips moved as he cast his memory back. I remember now. I had a music lesson in the afternoon- I remember that bit because we got marks back for a test, and I'd, like, aced it. Then I was rehearsing with my Band for the rest of the evening. DC went slightly pale. 

Archangel? Could we have a word? In private? he asked urgently. ArchangelUK raised an eyebrow. 

Fair enough. They walked off about thirty or forty yards before DC turned to face his friend. 

We've got a problem. He said flatly. ArchangelUK wondered if he should raise his eyebrow again. On balance, probably, he decided, raising it. 

We are standing on a continent on another world that no-one from our planet-our reality- has ever set foot on before, and we've just been told that the two of us have to save this world, and ours, with no idea what on Earth to do, and no experience in world saving. And you say we may have a problem. 

A bigger one. 

It gets bigger? 

You remember that episode His Masters voice'? 

Was Matt in it at all? ArchangelUK thought for a couple of seconds. 

Digicowboy nodded to himself, and turned to stare out at the Digital world. 

This is only a theory, you understand. He warned. But this is what I think. If this was just a cartoon, right, Matt probably wouldn't even remember that part, because he wasn't there and had nothing to do with it. But not only did he remember that it happened, he could remember exactly what he'd been doing at the time. Which means they're doing thingsoff-screen, as it were. Things that none of the animators or script writers or anyone make them do, because it doesn't advance the plot. If it was just a cartoon, wouldn't they just.not exist if they weren't on? AAUK frowned, and thoughtfully bit his lip.

I think I can see where this is going. He remarked. Digicowboy turned around to look at him.

So what do you think? 

It's not just a cartoon anymore. It's changed since the beginning.. It's more or less..a Subreality DC nodded, confirming with what AAUK had just said. 

That's what I thought. Which means he looked up at ArchangelUK. The cartoon is controlling their lives. It's enslaving them. Aside from us, I don't think anyone knows, though. Not even Gennai. ArchangelUK sighed.

I see what you mean. So not only do we have to see to this Unification thing- 

-But we have to alter the TV show and set them free. Finished DC. He smiled wryly. And all by our lonesome. 

Maybe not said AAUK thoughtfully. He pointed back to where a small Agumon-lit campfire now burned against the unnaturally dark sky. They'd probably be willing to help us. Besides, they've had more world-saving experience than us. he added as an afterthought. 

It couldn't hurt to ask them. Agreed DC.

So what are we waiting for? 

Meanwhile, in the really Real World, Mr Yamashita was glaring at the hapless subordinate who's bad luck it had been to tell him about The Problem. As far as Mr Yamashita was concerned, it justified the capital letters.

And that's not the worst of it, sir! Look at this!

The trembling somebody thrust a script towards him. Even as he watched, a line shimmered and changed. He transferred his furious gaze to the television where the final draft of the latest season two episode was being checked before it was sent to the television companies. It was wrong. Two new figures could be seen, figures which no one had put there, figures that weren't in the script-at least, before it started changing. Whatever they were, they were wrecking what was meant to be an episode near to the end of the Malomyotismon saga', and before they introduced the next Digi-villain. The glare he was directing towards the offending television would have blown it into so many Panasonic based shards of shrapnel. An idea struck his seething mind. 

Get me the animators. He ordered. Leaning back, he smiled. Let's see how ourghosts like what we can do. 

Just for the record, there is a difference in time between the Digital World and the real world. They just mistook which real world. Which is why, a mere second later, the ground shattered beneath the feet of AAUK and DC, plunging them down towards distant, rock hard oblivion a thousand feet below. 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_DC: Over to you, AAUK! Catch! *Throws a pen towards AAUK*  
AAUK: AAHHH! Watch where your throwing that thing! Lousy, no good saving the Earth partner...*mumbles incoherantly*..._

**__****_ArchangelUK 0:o)  
_**_****__Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... or face the consequences." : ****

* * *

**REDUX TIMEOUT:**

Welcome to Reality Redux Timeout, a subsection at the end of some chapters which will reveal origins for ideas, characters, plot twists, Redux facts, hidden meanings, references, parodies and tributes etc.

This is the first chapter written by DigiCowboy. DC's slave theory was the original driving focus of the plot.. 90% of all the 'Announcer' and post fic commentary bits to date have been done by AAUK. Though this chapter is lacking that aspect, I dunno, guess he was ill or something. 


	3. Terminal Velocity :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy **

_AAUK: Woohoo chapter three, God I did this one quick...less than a day.  
DC: Do you mind? It took me a long time to write the second. Oh well, I just hope you stop us falling to our deaths.  
AAUK: Yeah, me too...  
DC: Aren't you going to do a funny disclaimer like you do every chapter of every fic? *waits impatiently*  
AAUK: I/we the undersigned do not, have not and never will own Digimon however we will agree to buy three books at the retail price (at least one per quarter) following this special 99p each offer... Oh... Drat..._

**Chapter 3: Terminal Velocity**

"You know if what we've said is true..." ArchangelUK began, "There may be a chance we are effecting things in our world as well."

"What do you mean?" Digicowboy asked confused, AAUK scratched his shoulder and stretched a thoughful look upon his face.

"Our theory works in reverse, if the digital world is enslaved by the Real World through the animators and script writers we could be altering things at that level. We could be altering the scripts, changing the storylines, forcing rewrites or something."

"Really Archangel." DC said, wiping a tear of laughter from one eye, "Like that could really happen." It was at that moment that there was a sharp crack and the ground disappeared beneath them, for the briefest moment the pair hovered Looney Tunes style in mid-air. Slack jawed the two fic writers looked at each other and with barely concealed terror DC somehow managed to utter "I hate it when I'm wrong."

Then they fell.

Seeing what had happened, the DigiDestinend rushed into action, however they soon realised that they could do nothing. Their digimon partners no longer had the strength to digivolve to any stage that would enable a swift rescue. They watched helplessly as the chosen two became smaller and smaller, diminishing in size destined only to smash into the rocks below.

"Quick Izzy, do something!" Yolei pleaded, jumping up and down on the spot.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" The boy genius yelled, hammering away at the laptop computer, his fingers little more than a blur over the keyboard as he tried to execute his plan in time. ArchangelUK and Digicowboy's only chance was that Izzy could be able to upload them back to the real world before they, well, died in the canyon below.

In freefall the pair looked at each other. G-forces were pushing back their features so it looked like their faces had been made of a rather cheap rubber compound. Across that millisecond in time, two different sets of eyes locked and a single thought was shared, and a single phrase, rather appropriate under the circumstances was let rip in unison.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

Izzy mumbled unsavoury words and pounded away even more so at the keyboard, before smacking his palm down on the keys. The machine sqealed in protest at the vicious move and began to vibrate, Izzy backed away nervously. Crimson sparks flew from the screen and it exploded with light filling up the sky above before shooting downwards after the falling duo.

They had been falling for fifteen seconds, it was still another fifteen before they hit the rocks below. As the scream emptied his lungs Dc became dimly aware of the rocks becoming rapidly more detailed. He could make out every little pit, crack, crevace and bed... _wait a minute, bed?!?_ An aura of white light surrounded Digicowboy and a wail of static could be heard as he disappeared from sight.

DC landed on the bed with a grunt, the two metre drop from the ceiling which he had bounced off of to the mattress below was more than sufficient to shatter the woodern frame into little more than matchwood. The computer glowed again as the white portal flared depositing another array of forms. They too bounced off of the white ceiling landing in an array of different positions, regretfully though many ricocheted straight downawards onto DC's bed, where also regretfully DC was laying.

"Izzy my boy, perhaps you would be so glad as to tell us all what the heck just happened?" Gennai said looking at the keeper of knowledge's laptop which had finally begun to stop glowing, Izzy bent down to pick it up but as he did so he dropped it, letting out a yelp of surpirse.

"Ow! Hot...hot...hot!" The laptop restarted, going through the BIOS and loaded up Izzy's 'special' version of Windows, all that was different about it now was the faintest of faint smell of smoke. Izzy called up a unpronounceable text file which appeared to be some king of log, he glanced down the file listings. "I managed to start the upload proceedure," He said not looking up, "I managed to get Digicowboy away to safety, but there was some external feedback and then...er," He looked around at the group wide eyed then did a double take at the group, then glanced back down at the file. Izzy scaned through it a few times before eyes shot through with panic, "The program selected some random data and sent that back as well."

"What do you mean random?" Joe asked incredulously, he was answered not by Izzy but by Patamon.

"Er, have you guys seen TK?"

"And Kari...Davis...er, just who IS here?" Joe asked,

"Gomamon."

"Salamon."

"Hawkmon."

"Yolei."

"Sora."

"Tentomon."

"Palmon."

"Is that it?" Yolei demanded, "Where are they? Izzy where are our friends?" She was in full blown ballistic mode, ready to explode at any given moment and the target of her rage was Izzy. "What have you done!?"

"Where's Mimi?" Palmon wailed, Patamon attempted to calm her down with little success.

"Calm down Yolei, if you give Izzy a chance he'll tell us." Sora said trying to soothe the violet haired girl,

"Indeed, at least give the boy a chance to explain first." Hawkmon added patting her hand in reassurance, Yolei scooped him up into a hug squeezing the poor bird as if her life depended on it.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just pleased you're okay and you're here Hawkmon." Hawkmon's reply was muffled Yolei's shoulder and T-shirt, he patted her back trying to pull some of his partner's clothing out of his beak to allow oxygen to reach his lungs. After a few forceful whacks she got the message and dropped Hawkmon to the floor, the digimon rolled his eyes and took some deep breaths.

"When you two have quite finished." Izzy interrupted, "I think I've got a video link with Digicowboy's home - DC? Are you there?"

A rather disgruntled Matt appeared in shot, his hair a mess, like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards, then forwards again before having a small tornado spin dry him. He appeared to have a swelling bruise on his head, and was a bit dizzy, well that was to be expected under the circumstances.

"Izzy? What the hell just happened?"

"Matt, are we pleased to see you."

"Likewise, I'll repeat the question what happened."

"Nevermind that, your okay, thankgoodness."

"Izzy dude, can you answer my blooming question PLEASE."

"What question?" Matt growled slightly, his newly aquired patience being stretched to it's fragile limit.

"God man, do I have to spell it phonetically or something(?) Whaaaaaat theeeee heeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllll juuuust hap-pennnned?"

"We got some interference and the program went a little loopy, it sucked you guys up as well as the chosen two."

"Oh fantastic." Matt tried to straighten his hair, but failed miserably, finding a comb on the side he started to tame the follicals back to their previous positions.

"Who else is there?" Yolei asked pushing infront of Izzy,

"Er..let me see, Digicowboy's pretty out of it he met head on with Davis and Tai, you can imagine how hard the heads of those two are. I think he's concussed, Armadillomon landed on top of him for good measure. Who else...well there's me, Ken, Agumon, Davis - oh I've said him already and Mimi. Not forgetting Jun."

"JUN?" They all gasped in surprise,

"She's the one who landed on top of me and gave me the bruise, she currently hanging on to my ankle pleading for forgiveness for quote damaging your beautiful face unquote. Hey, is Gabumon there?"

"No. We thought he was with you, by our count that means we're missing AAUK, Kari, TK, Gabumon, Cody and Wormmon."

"Kari's missing?" Tai, his hair somehow intact pushed into shot, "Where's my sister!" he bellowed.

"Hey man, my bro's missing too!" Matt yelled, pushing Tai back.

"Guys, there's a perfecty good explaination." Izzy said trying to difuse the simmering brotherly concern eminating from the pair. "They're with AAUK at his house, I'm patching though the link now."

A second window appeared on Izzy's laptop this time with a bruised TK and Kari both sitting on a single chair. The interior of AAUK's bedroom looked much the same as Digicowboy's only less so due to the difference in numbers.

"Hey guys, did ya miss us?"

"TK!" Patamon cheered,

"Alright little buddy."

"Salamon are you okay?"

"I'm okay Kari, in fact I'm feeling a lot better than I... oooh... Salamon digivolve to...Gatomon."

"Woah!" Sora exclaimed,

"Hey, the cat is back!" Gatomon grinned, causing laughter all be it subdued. "Is AAUK there, or was he knocked out by Gabumon(!)" purred the white digimon in an amused tone. TK and Kari looked confused, Kari leaned forward,

"We've got a wimpering Wormmon a concussed Cody and a grumpy Gabumon but there's no ArchangelUK here." Gatomon's cheshire cat grin went into reverse.

"Well, he has to be there." Sora said moving into view,

"Yeah," Tai agreed, "He was uploaded to."

"Guys... I'm not entirely sure we got him in time." Izzy, looking up from Gennai's laptop had a face of stone. "There is records for the Digimon, DigiDestined and DC...but there is no record for the uploading of ArchangelUK."

Relieved his friend was safe, ArchangelUK waited patiently to be saved also. He waited... and still waited... In fact he had waited fourteen seconds before the enevitable dawned upon him, he hadn't been rescued yet - was because he wasn't going to be. His last thought was not the most elloquent or poinient that ArchangelUk would have wanted to 'go out' on. However, as the last second ticked by, one last final thought entered his head.

"Oh... cra-"

"Wait...does that mean..." Gomamon said pointing to the ledge, Izzy sighed and nodded.

"I'm afraid so." The DigiWorld group looked over at the canyon edge and raced to the side, Izzy disconnected the video link. Gennai had given the two groups instructions, TK's group were to somehow meet up with DC's group at Gatwick International Airport in London. How they were going to go about this no one seemed to know, but they needed to get to Japan so an aircraft was a good bet. Digicowboy would be told of his friends death, there was little to no chance he could have possibly survived the fall.

  
"He could have survived." Patamon said hopefully, peaking over the ledge and gazing at the sheer drop. Gatomon moved up along side of him and followed the little digimon's gaze, she placed her hands on her hips and looked dubiously at her winged friend.

"Well, he could be okay." Patamon insisted, trying to make it sound less resigned and more determined. Gatomon rubbed Patamon's shoulder gently with her paw.

"Yeah, in much the same way I 'could be' a dog."

"Knock it off you two." snapped Joe. "We'll have to check, no matter what we find. Izzy - you, me and our digimon will climb down there. The girls will stay here with the other digimon."

"You'll get no complaint from me." Sora agreed.

"I'm coming too." Insisted Gatomon,

"If she's going then so am I." Patamon announced, blushing slightly when Gatomon turned to give him a questioning look.

"Well, lets go." Joe muttered, the keeper of relaibility leading the small band on their hopeless journey. At the destination lay the fate of a new friend, and his fate was almost certainly death.

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_What will happen next? How will DC's and TK's groups meet up, will they be able to save the Digital World? What's going on at Toei HQ? Is ArchangelUK actually dead? Find out in the next instalment of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

_DC: *Incredulously* You're dead?  
AAUK: *Doesn't move*  
DC: What are you going to do? Rise from the grave?  
AAUK: Uuurrr.  
DC: Hey - are you okay?  
Zombie AAUK: Urrrrr? Ugh Urrr...Ugggh gwahhhh! (*What? I don't care...oooh flesh!*)  
DC: Hey, get away from me...stop biting my arm! Arrgh! *Digicowboy snatches the pen back and legs it.*  
Zombie AAUK: UURRRRGGGH GWAH GUUUUUURH! (*Hey come back! Do you think I'll get a part in that new Resident Evil movie?*)_

**__****_ArchangelUK 0:o)  
_**_****__Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... move it or lose it." : ****

* * *

**REDUX TIMEOUT:**

Welcome to Reality Redux Timeout, a guide to all the little intrecacies woven into the Reality Redux story. Such as the hidden references, parodies, tributes to, spoofs and odd facts so far

Chapter title is obviously a parody of the phrase 'Life's a bitch' First appearence of the Harbingers, why Devimon being only a champion can be considered equal to the others is only explained in "Better The Devil You Know..." Harbinger: _Person or thing that signals the approach of another; forerunner._ What really happened to Angelus and how long he was supposedly tortured for has not yet been explained. The first of many periods of unconciousness for Angelus in RR, this was a running joke as AAUK has never been KO'd by anyone IRL. Dragomon is refered to as a mega as in all of AAUK's stories, when in reality he is infact only an Ultimate but quite frankly baring in mind his power that doesn't make sense. Probably the only time you'll ever hear the phrase 'We need Yolei!' is in this chapter. Piedmon is in possession of the DigiEgg of Fate and reference is made to it being 'a key' but no explanation is given to this and how it was taken from Willis until much later. 


	4. And All Who Sail In Her :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy **

_DC: Sorry it's been a long time in coming, but I've been hiding from Zombie AAUK ALSO INCLUDING MY Digi-Britain Exclusion Theory'. Disclaimer: Do you really need this? And if so, then why? You know who we are._

**Chapter 4: And All Who Sail In Her...**

DC groaned to himself from the midst of the wreckage that had composed his bed. No, no, I don't want any fireworksI'm just proud to be the first person to walk on the sun Matt looked at him clinically for a minute.

he said sadly. I think that's all we can expect from him.

Man, he concussed pretty bad, isn't he? remarked Tai.  


What I wanna know is why. Davis sneered. He hit a bed.

Davis, he hit it hard enough the break it into splinters. It's solid oak. Not to mention certain somebody's pile driving into his skull. Armadillomon managed to look slightly ashamed. He must have impacted going faster than sixty. Pointed out Tai. That probably leaves a mark. Jun had recovered slightly, and was sitting in a corner with Mimi.

So who is he? she said for the third time. Mimi rolled her eyes.

He's a Chosen one. Probably, he's just a normal guy who just got selected.

And what was he chosen to do?

It's not just him, Jun. There's AAUK as well, but She couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence. We don't know what happened to him. She said lamely. And they have to stop our world and their world and probably the digital world from fusing together.

And they do this how? Mimi shrugged.

No idea. And I don't think they do, either. Jun considered this

Call me crazy, but that doesn't exactly leave me feeling safe and secure. There was a pause. So who is he?

And now the real world is faced with a problem. In the real world (or rather our world) - Digidestined. In their reality, (i.e.DigiWorld) - AAUK, whatever state he happens to be in. The barrier has been broken. The Unification is now.

On the other side of Earth Wolfie strolled along the street, and paused to do up her shoelace. She didn't notice the air flicker and shift in front of her. But then, still crouched, she looked up. The Tyranomon looked back. it questioned, trying to focus on the girl. Wolfie considered her options for a long moment. Suddenly, she leapt up from her athletic shoe tying position, dived through the Tyrannomon's legs, and ran like buggery. Unfortunately, what Wolfie didn't notice was what happened to the sky, although this is understandable. I mean, she was being chased by a fire breathing dinosaur, for heavens sake. Cut her some slack. The clouds boiled and rippled and spread outward from where the Tyrannomon had appeared. Soon, they will cover the sky.

TK, Kari, and Cody were waiting by the edge of the motorway. It was raining. TK (Or, indeed, the others) had never encountered this type of rain before. It was special English Rain, which is gentle and subtle and soaks you through to the bones in five seconds flat. Understandably, they were not best pleased. What made it worse was that they had never been to England before. Even this in itself wouldn't be so bad if they knew anything about the country. But in their world, there was no Britain. Mostly because the Japanese animators in this reality, like Nintendo, have a small problem with acknowledging the country even exists. Not that this was their fault, so we shall let that be. Cody glared uncharacteristically as the third car in the past five minutes drenched him from head to foot, and sped onwards. So why do we have to Hitchhike? he asked, trying to wring out his top, albeit unsuccessfully. TK started to count on his fingers.

One, we don't know the country. Two, we don't have our Digimon with us to get us there, three, We don't have a choice if we want to get there, and fourWe don't know the country. I know I said that one already, but it was such a good point I thought I'd say it again. Just then, a car pulled up. 

Kari grinned mischievously. While you two were busy arguing with each other, I flagged it down. She explained with a little toss of her head in a display of pure theatre. I put it down to my feminine charms. She teased, turning TK's face a bright red.

Shall we just get in the car? asked Cody, noting the elder boy's discomfort.

"Airport"

DC glared at the offending sign with his mouth open. This was unfair. True, he hadn't figured out how they would get to Japan without money, but the continuous rain had put a stop to all flights-everywhere. He had more or less recovered from the fall, so now he should probably think up a plan while they waited for the others. We're here! grinned TK, as they walked up to the group.

Said DC. And then, an idea struck. Stroke of luck, that. Hey, guys! Gather round! he said, motioning with his arm. Tai, can you pass me my laptop? Tai did so as DC explained his idea. Here's what I think. No offence meant, but you guys evolved out of a cartoon – I think – Right? And I've been writing fanfiction about you for a while. Ken raised an eyebrow.

You have?

Absolutely. Anyway, in one sense I kinda own you. So all I have to do is write this into a story I have underway, and we should end up in Japan! Matt looked dubious.

And you think this will work?

Why not? I'm a chosen one, aren't I? he began to type furiously, the group wavered and flickered, and everything went dark. When it lightened up, they were standing in

gasped Jun. Nice trick. DC smiled. 

Well, what do you know? It worked after all. Tai went oddly pale.

You mean you weren't sure?

Of course not. The theory was sound, but He shrugged.

DATA BOMB! the ground shook. DC looked worried, and checked his screen. 

'Ah' what?

I kinda tacked this onto a scene with Datamon in it Tai thought for a second, as the pint sized terror came round the corner.

You guys ready to Digivolve?

Nu-uh. That left us really weak, somehow. Snivelled Wormon.

In that case the Digidestined and DC scattered through the empty square as Data Bomb's scattered around them. And then, one made impact. The explosion echoed around the square, and the Digidestined froze in horror at the crater where DC had been. Smoke was billowing outward from that spot, and all was deathly still. But then, from the very centre of the impact zone, a voice said, very quietly,

Bloody hellfire... 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Will the digimon be able to digivolve? Is Digicowboy okay? Is ArchangelUK alright and if so how did he survive that fall? Find out in the next instalment of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

_AAUK: Oooh. That was...er....*pause*...yes.  
DC: That was what?  
AAUK: Good. A bit short maybe.  
DC: *snorts*  
AAUK: Oh no, no...I meant no offence.  
DC: Hey your not the one that's just been blown up!  
AAUK: No I'm just the one who maybe dead!  
DC: Right!  
AAUK: Right!  
*They both disappear into a cloud of dust as a fight breaks out*_

**__****_ArchangelUK 0:o)  
_**_****__Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... to approximately 99.98% it's ability." : ****

* * *

**REDUX TIMEOUT:**

Welcome to Reality Redux Timeout, a subsection at the end of some chapters which will reveal origins for ideas, characters, plot twists, Redux facts, hidden meanings, references, parodies and tributes etc. 

The first appearence (at the time intended to be cameo only) of Wolfie and Raptormon. Long discussions went on as to whether an original Digimon would be acceptable. 


	5. Life's A Beach :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy **

_AAUK: Welcome back to Reality Redux! We are the writers of the fic, ArchangelUK and Digicowboy and this time it's my chapter!  
DC: Hey I've had a thought, are you alive or dead after the fall?  
AAUK: If you'd let me do the disclaimer we all might find out!  
DC: Okay! Okay!  
AAUK: We don't own digimon, in fact we don't own these clothes they are infact intriguing 3D holograms of clothes. Hey, would I lie to you...?._

**Chapter 5: Life's a Beach**

Joe continued his slow climb down the canyon, the dangerous task made even more so by the complete lack of any mountaineering equipment. Patamon was okay of course, he had somehow regained the energy to fly about, much like Salamon had suddenly received a boost of energy enough for her to digivolve back to Gatomon. Tentomon too could fly, although he was still a little unsteady, neither digimon wanted to fly straight to the bottom, to be the first to see... whatever awaits them there.

The long climb had so far been made in unwavering silence, even the digimon made no sound, the only noise the normally chirpy Tentomon made was the buzzing of his insectile wings. Patamon and Gatomon who probably said more to each other then most humans do to their friends were stone faced. Only communicating in glances with each other, Gatomon giving worried looks over her shoulder to see if Patamon was straining himself too much trying to fly. Patamon making sure Gatomon wasn't struggling with the climb down, occasionally indicating towards what Patamon could see as safer handholds, or rather pawholds.

Izzy with his laptop strapped precariously to his back was making slow progress, he'd never liked this sort of thing. He also felt incredibly guilty for not getting to ArchangelUK in time, he had gone through his procedure a hundred times in his head searching for an error a slip of a finger, a wrong command line. Nothing. His contemplation was though distraction enough for him to try and use fresh air as a footgrip. Izzy cried out in alarm and began to fall downwards, Tentomon made a grab but missed, had it not been for Joe who somehow spotted the danger Izzy would have been joining ArchangelUK in finding out what sharp granite tasted like.

Izzy breathed his thanks, Joe smiled meekly at the compliment and continued to lead the ramshackle 'rescue squad' down the rock face. Izzy glanced at Joe and wondered, when had the eldest of the DigiDestined changed from the small boy who was afraid to say boo to a goose? Where had the confident outgoing Joe come from, who had without hesitation taken over leadership of the now DigiWorld stranded group? When had it all happened, well, at the moment all Izzy could see was that Joe was making a damn good job of it.

"We're almost at the bottom." Tentomon announced from overhead, "I can see the canyon floor it's about twenty metres below you."

"Thanks Tentomon."

So this was, as they say - it. The end. Finito. The big goodbye. The last dance. The final curtain. Death.

Resigned to his fate AAUK closed his eyes and waited for permanent unconsciousness to claim him. Just before he hit the ground, had he kept his eyes open, he would have been able to see what happened a split second before he hit the ground. It warped. And then he would have realised it was a sensible thing to close his eyes as he fell towards the sand, instead of opening them wondering why he hadn't hit the stone at the exact moment his fall ended...

_Where am I?  
Don't ask me.  
I can ask you whatever I like, you're my sub-concious damnit!  
Okay, okay...no need to shout.  
Where am I?  
You said that already.  
And I'm going to keep asking it until you answer.  
_The voice sighed heavily, _Very well, but if you'll take my advice you'll stay unconscious, because when you wake up you'll be wondering why you didn't just lay there. Believe me this will be as peaceful for you as it's ever going to be for a very, very long time. It's all downhill from here.  
How do you know this?  
Because I'm not your subconscious.  
....riiiiight...that actually makes a lot of sense.  
But what I say is true, look you're waking up.  
Yeah, I must.  
Are you sure?  
There's this little thing called 'oxygen' which I really need right now as my mouth is full of sand.  
I see, but I warned you.  
I'm gonna wake up now. BREATHE!_

ArchangelUK's lungs expelled the sand in a mass of coughing, he gasped the oxygen flooding his system "He's waking up." A voice hissed,

"Good, we wouldn't want him to miss our show now would we?" Laughed a second.

"What shall we do to him first?"

"Let me crush him!" A third voice boomed,

"Oh no." The second scolded, "This enchanting performance is worthy of a public display."

AAUK's eyes flickered open to show the silhouettes of four figures crowded around him. He recognised each one, he could only hope now that what he was told by whatever it was he had just communicated with was false. He prayed his first thoughts were wrong, he prayed it was just his blurred vision still recovering. His prayers were not answered today.

"Welcome back to the land of the living..." smirked Piedmon

"...At least for the time being." Devimon finished, his harsh braying laughter echoing across the beach.

"Ahhhhh....nuts."  
_I told you..._

Izzy's group had found something, it wasn't a body, it was a portal. The five looked at it in a bizarre mixture of wonder, confusion and revulsion.  
"What's that?" Joe asked, he made to put his hand through it but he merely knocked it against some kind of barrier. The keeper of reliability stepped back, somewhat surprised and turned to the others. "Where is that?"

Patamon and Gatomon, who made up the revulsion segment of the previous paragraph, looked at each other and winced. "We know where that is." The orange digimon said quietly, "We know all too well."

"Where?" Izzy asked.

"It's the Dark Ocean." Gatomon answered.

"Why have you brought me here...why did you save me."

"Yes, I've been wondering that myself." Devimon said, turning to his former master Daemon.

"Information." The evil mega replied and turned back to AAUK who was being frog-marched into a nearby cave complex by a trio of Scubamon. "We need to know what he knows about the Unification, if he is indeed one of the chosen two he can tell us how far they are in their quest for the Rebirth. If they even know that..."

Piedmon, Daemon and Devimon followed the Scubamon into the cave, Dragomon who was far too big for such a task waited just by the sea and was kept abreast of things by a swarm of Scubamon messengers. The news was mixed, it had soon become apparent AAUK knew almost nothing of the Unification at all. They hadn't even worked out the ancient text yet, indeed the four evil digimon were somewhat amazed to discover that AAUK and Digicowboy had only just been called to the DigiWorld. It appeared the energies they had expended to save AAUK had been wasted, there was one silver lining for the group. The DigiDestined were, at least partly, on the wrong path.

ArchangelUK blinked against the harsh light that lit the cave, he tried to focus his eyes but found he couldn't. His limbs felt sore, like he had been walking for miles but he hadn't actually gone anywhere. His face was a mass of dirt, hair tousled, even his clothes were ripped and torn, how long had he been there? 'An hour' said a part of his mind - 'an eternity' said another part; he couldn't remember what had happened exactly. At first he had refused to give any information at all, the Daemon had used some kind of attack on him and after that... He tried to get up, but failed miserably, only getting to his knees before falling backwards. Suddenly, he felt he was moving again, he was being dragged out onto the open beach and the fresh sea air seemed to revitalise him a bit. The quartet of digimon were discussing what to do with him, although his body was still weak his voice was strong. So when Daemon happened to say that the DigiDestined had no chance of defeating them, AAUK said.

"You're no match for them, they're the good guys!"

"Really, you think so..." Dragomon chuckled, the four turning towards the dishevelled youth.

"Yeah, well they beat you before didn't they?"

"Oh yes, we know that." Piedmon laughed, "But they didn't bank on all of us appearing and taking over your world!"

"My world?"

"Oh yes." Replied Devimon, "You really think we'd be content with just the two worlds when a third lies so easily in our sights." Piedmon stepped forward

"With the Unification the Dark World grows nearer to your world, the barriers are weakened and soon it will be time to strike." 

"And besides, they haven't faced me before." Dragomon said menacingly.

"Even so, do you really think you can just walk in and no one will try to stop you?"

"Yes." Piedmon nodded.

"Huh, you are a clown after all!"

"Piedmon is right," Daemon screeched, "Your world is corrupt, misgoverned, full of liars, cheats, thieves and warmongers. It would be so easy to take over a champion digimon could do it, in essence your world is ripe for the picking." Something in AAUK snapped and he found the strength to get up, although still unsteadily and took two paces towards the agents of evil. He glared daggers at them, and summoning up his rage yelled,

"You leave my world alone you bunch of misdrawn illustrations!"

"Oh so we're illustrations now ARE WE?" Daemon rushed forward grabbing ArchangelUK by the throat and pinning him to the rocky wall, his feet dangled in mid-air, a whole metre from the floor. "If we are merely illustrations you pathetic insect why am I a hairs breath from destroying you?" AAUK choked out a reply but it wasn't understandable, he was going blue from the pressure.

"If we are so useless, why have we already sent our ally to your pitiful planet to seek out and destroy the other 'chosen one'?" Devimon taunted,

"You're telling him too much." Dragomon cautioned.

"You think, you and your precious digimon, DigiDestined and shiny digivice can stop us?"

"Diigiccc-vyyce?" AAUK spluttered, trying to prise loose the fingers around his neck.

"You're telling him too much!" Dragomon roared, "He didn't know about the digivice yet."

"It matters not. " Daemon dismissed, "This insignificant human is about to be dispersed." Daemon raised his hand and a ball of yellow light.

"Well...you..urrghhh...you're forgetting one th-ahhgh-hing." ArchangelUK managed to say,

"What?" Devimon asked,

"You're forgetting that I'm not gonna let you....disperse this!" With one swift movement AAUK delivered a furious kick to where the digisun doesn't even think about shining. Daemon screamed in agony, let go of AAUK and collapsed backwards, inadvertently knocking over Devimon and Piedmon. AAUK went to run, but his eyes caught a flash of silver on Daemon's belt, without even thinking about it he snatched it and did the sensible thing - he ran like hell.

"Stop him!" Devimon cried,

"Tentacle Claw!" Dragomon launched the powerful attack in Archangel's direction, the youth somehow managing to leap and roll over the deadly offence.

"Trump Sword!"

"Oh craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!"

Joe shook his head, "It doesn't look like we're going to be able to get through." He rubbed his hand over the invisible layer than had prevented them entering the Dark World, it was at that moment he saw something through the portal in the middle-distance. "Hey what's that?" A figure came into view, he was blurred at first but it became obvious he was running...very, very fast.

"It's AAUK."

"How can you be sure from this distance."

"Trust us, after years of being around you guys we know only a human could get themselves in that much trouble."

"Hey!"

"Wait, here he comes!"

AAUK with his strength returned to him, legged it across the sand, explosions rocking the beach behind him, plumes of water and sand were being thrown up left right and centre. AAUK had always been a fast sprinter, so you could imagine with the added adrenaline boost he was away pelting towards the portal at breakneck speed. Surprisingly he didn't notice the portal at first and he was 25 metres past it before realisation dawned on his adrenaline soaked mind. "Wait a minute..." He performed a skid, a trainer-clad foot digging a long trench in the monochrome beach and raced back towards the portal. He was of course running back INTO the explosions, as he soon found out being showered with sand on more than one occasion.

He saw the DigiDestined through the portal and waved, "Guys!"

"What did he say?"

"I don't know."

"I couldn't hear him."

"What's going on?" AAUK asked them, "Can't you guys hear me?" he cocked his hand to his ear and Joe shook his head. "Oh well." AAUK shrugged, "It doesn't matter, I'm coming back. Stand clear!"

"No AAUK wait, you can't..." AAUK dived headfirst towards the portal, but hit something hard and unyielding and bounced backwards landing in a heap on the sand.  
"...Get through." Izzy finished, gritting his teeth at the rather sickening impact. AAUK pushed himself up from the ground, holding his nose and mouth he removed his hand showing a trickle of blood coming from one nostril and a nasty looking cut lip. ArchangelUK glared at Izzy and then began to yell at the genius through the portal, the gist of it was why hadn't Izzy told him before he had tried to enter. Thankfully for Izzy he obviously couldn't hear him, but nethertheless, the rather obvious screaming combined with the furious gesturing gave a rather good idea.

The explosions were getting closer.

ArchangelUK hammered on the barrier with his fists, on the other side the digimon were doing their best to try and break whatever it was down. "Electro shocker!"

"Boom bubble!"

"Lightning paw!"

"It's not working." Joe cried in desperation, on the other side AAUK mouthed the same back. "There must be something else...something!"  
"Maybe...just maybe." Joe thought out loud, he fumbled in his pocket and brought out a small light blue digivice. "Digiport open!"

Nothing. AAUK watching on shook his head, that's not right.

"It won't work." Patamon said, "It's not a D3."

"We need Yolei." Izzy agreed, "But I don't think there's enough time."

"Oh no. Archangel, behind you!" Tentomon cried gesturing frantically, AAUK got the message and looked over his shoulder. Approaching fast was a furious Daemon and what could only be described as an army of Scubamon.

His eyes went wide, as a Scubamon yelled "There he is!" 

"Get him!" Daemon screamed,

_Damnit. There must be something, a normal digivice doesn't work...I need something! Anything! I need a D3 - wait a minute._

AAUK looked in his palm at the item he snatched from Daemon, it was chrome, shiny and was a digivice, not a D3, but a sleeker looking model. "Evil inferno!"

"Of course, that's what Daemon meant." AAUK held it up towards the wavering image, "Digiport Open!"

A bolt of gold light streamed from the digivice and struck the grey image of the DigiWorld Izzy and the others backed away nervously as it first crackled then burst into a stable digiport, AAUK threw himself into it and it sealed up behind him. A column of flame incinerating the spot he had been standing.

"He escaped." Daemon said despondently, he floated past the other three muttering curses under his breath. He did not wish to hear of it again, he an all powerful dark digimon could not stop a mere youth from escaping.

"He did?" The question was Dragomon's, the last thing Daemon wanted. "Why does that not surprise me." Dragomon said, trying not to sound to smug about it.

"It's not like your pathetic footsoldiers were any help!" Daemon snapped back,

"Don't raise your voice to me Daemon!" Roared the undersea mega,

"I'll do as I wish Dragomon!"

"SILENCE!" Devimon boomed, "I don't see why you're acting this way. Yes the chosen one escaped, and yes he now has the digivice, but we still have the upperhand."

"Yes. They didn't know about the digivice, and we can assume by that they haven't solved the prophecy yet. The Unification will continue, and even if our friend fails - and I doubt that very much - we still possess one of their precious keys." Piedmon laughed and reached inside his garment, he pulled out an shiny ovular item that looked almost like a jar. This was no jar however, it was gold, solid gold and glowed brightly. Dragomon and Devimon noticeably backed away from the light it produced, eliciting a sigh from Piedmon.

"Without the pair they are as good as defeated already, they don't even know the golden digiegg's true importance." The quartet laughed an evil laugh of victory.

Back in AAUK's room in the real world, a cupboard door creaked open and a bat fluttered out from where it had been hiding....

T_o Be Continued....  
_

* * *

_Is the bat who we think it is? What is the true importance of the golden digieggs? What does the ancient text mean? Find out the answer to these and many other questions in the next instalment of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

_DC: Let me get this right....you were tortured?  
AAUK: They're evil! What did you expect, a tea party in my honour?  
DC: Fair comment.  
AAUK: Reviews greatly welcomed...as there's a pretty naff total at the moment.  
DC: Next stop RR 6 - and back to me!!!!  
AAUK: *Rolls eyes*_

**__****_ArchangelUK 0:o)  
_**_****__Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... move it or lose it." : ****

* * *

**REDUX TIMEOUT:**

Welcome to Reality Redux Timeout, a subsection at the end of some chapters which will reveal origins for ideas, characters, plot twists, Redux facts, hidden meanings, references, parodies and tributes etc. 

Terminal Velocity is the term given to the point at which a falling object can no longer accelerate past its current speed due to the air friction. The discussion about the slave theory being reversed was discussed at length before chapter 2 was posted. It was DC's original theory, yet AAUK was the one who suggested it could theoretically be bi-directional. Yolei always seems to be choking Hawkmon when she's emotional, you have to wonder how he survived those 25 years into the future... Matt's hair gets messed up for the first time. It was DC's suggestion to put Jun in, at the time he had a bit of a thing for her... don't ask... No really. All the Digimon regain their strength suddenly, this is beginning of the 'life energy bond' between Gatekeeper, Traveller and the Digimon. Though this does not appear again until halfway through battling the harbingers. Gatomon says of Angelus's chances of surviving the cliff fall "Yeah, in much the same way I 'could be' a dog(!)" but then again as Salamon she is decidedly puppyish. First sneeky Patatail reference at the end of the chapter 


	6. The Truth Is Here :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy **

_Digicowboy: I had a disclaimer, really I did. However, I was told that an 8 page disclaimer may be pushing it, so I've edited it. Here is what remains. Digimon' _  


**Chapter 6: The Truth Is Here**

Have you ever noticed something about the Digital world and it's inhabitants? They are all Digimon, all possessing attacks. And yet they cannot defend themselves for toffee against so much as one bad Digimon. Curious, yes? Maybe we shall discover the reasons why. But maybe not. It all depends really, doesn't it? 

Aaagggh! Woah A series of curses followed DC around the plaza as he attempted to dodge the missles Datamon was launching. Suddenly, everything went quiet, and he looked up into the tip of a Data Bomb. Time slowed as he realised he couldn't get out of the fast enough. Impact.

* * *

"Of course, that's what Daemon meant." AAUK held it up towards the wavering image, "Digiport Open!"   
A bolt of gold light streamed from the digivice and struck the grey image of the DigiWorld. Izzy and the others backed away nervously as it first crackled then burst into a stable digiport, AAUK threw himself into it and it sealed up behind him. A column of flame incinerating the spot he had been standing.

Unseen by AAUK, or anyone else, his oddly sleek Digivice flared with a burst of energy that rippled through time and space alike, or, to put it bluntly, generally screwed around with reality. As it passed through the real Tokyo, it caught the brunt of the explosion, kicking it through into the Dark Ocean. Not that DC knew that, of course. As far as he was concerned, he was dead. After all, he knew he'd just been caught in a huge blast. After the dust settled, he cautiously opened an eye.

Bloody hellfire he murmured to himself. The after life certainly wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It looked just like the place he'd just left. That couldn't be fair. He sighed mournfully, and sank down on to a handy piece of rubble.   
I bet everyone else gets really peachy deaths. Why do I get the sucky one? he complained to the air.

He raised his head. It sounded like Tai. 

he said cautiously. There was a scrambling sound, then the man in question scrambled down into the crater. 

You're alive! 

I am? 

DC thought for a second. A brief shadow passed overhead as Metalgarurumon leapt after Datamon, and then the others appeared around the edge. 

Is he okay? 

Yeah, surpisingly. Tai called back. How, I've got no idea, but he's fine. Not even a scratch!

* * *

Tetsuro had been a cab-driver for several years, and he thought that he'd seen them all. The silent ones, the chatty ones, the crazy onesas far as he was aware, he'd seen the lot in his cab. He thought nothing could worry him after 15 years of service. But he was wrong. This passenger had him terrified. He had climbed in, said Tokyo', and that had been that. Tokyo was miles and miles away from Tetsuro's route, but he hadn't been able to refuse. Little did he know that his passenger wasn't human. Soon, Tetsuro will be dead. Because it's only five more miles to the centre of Tokyo, and Myotismonwell, he needs to keep his strength up, and 12 stone of cab driver should do the job nicely.

* * *

Mimi looked puzzled. But how did you survive? 

I have no idea. Admitted DC, as casually as he could. 

By sheer luck. Said a voice from above them. They looked up. 

exclaimed Ken. Jun's brow wrinkled. 

Who's he? 

I'll introduce him later. Davis promised. How did you get here, Gennai? I thought you couldn't Gennai made a face.

I'm afraid that I haven't been completely honest with you. He admitted to them. I'll explain everything. If either you or AAUK dies, we'll fail, and there are some things I think you should know about. He turned to face the bemused looking Digicowboy. Care to hear a story? 

* * *

The car rolled to a stop.  
We're here. Said Tetsuro, thankfully. He'd be glad when he could get back home. 

Thank you. Said the stranger. Oh, there was one other thing He grabbed the cabbie by the shoulder. Tetsuro's fear reached it's peak, and Myotismon smiled. Tetsuro stared into the reflection of cruel eyes, and he knew he'd never see home again. Myotismon fed.

* * *

First, I should tell you that the Unification wasn't news to us. We knew about you, and we knew about your dimension. Part of our prophecy tells us of you two. But now, I'd like to ask you a question, DC. Why do you think that you and ArchangelUK were chosen for this? And why you can enter the three realities? 

DC looked blank. I've never thought of that. He admitted.

I won't keep you in the dark. You and ArchangelUK aren't like anyone else in this world. Because you aren't from this world, at least partially. Gennai took a deep breath. We keep fairly compulsive records, and the Unification almost happened before, at the very beginning of our dimension. Two others like yourselves were summoned to stop it. We don't know how they did it, but after it was over, they got stuck on our side of the line. They got older, and then they got married to people from our side. Eventually

I think I can see where this is headed. Muttered Matt. DC had gone pale. 

I can see I don't need to say what happened. Suffice to say that you and ArchangelUK are creatures of both realities. You don't really belong in one universe or another, but you can live in either. You yourselves are, in essence, Digiports. When you were born, we concluded that if you stayed here, the plot would swallow you whole, and the Unification may proceed unopposed, so we sent you here to grow up for just this occasion. 

Why did you think the port would claim them? asked Jun.

DC and AAUK are related to two of the Digidestined families. There was a thud as DC sank to his knees with a bemused expression on his face. 

DC is related to the Takenouchi family. And AAUK- 

-Is no longer a problem! Announced a voice from above them. They knew that voice. 

Right first time! he thundered, his cloak billowing around him in the wind. And now I've come to deal with the last Chosen One! Down in the bottom of the crater, DC stared in front of him, numb with shock. In the space of five minutes, the foundations of his life had been snatched out from under his feet. In his hands, unseen by him, a small glimmer appeared, growing steadily.

Don't just stand there! Do something! Hollered Gennai. I'll go see if I can find ArchangelUK! he disappeared in his usual rainbow blaze. 

Let's go, already! muttered Matt. Ready, Gabumon?

You know it, Matt! Gabumon digivolved to 

GRIZZLY WING! 

On second thoughts, I think I'll just lie down 

We need Patamon and Gatomon! Tai groaned. If we could open the gate of destiny, this guy would be toast!   
DC looked down. The glow between his hands was really quite intense now. He blinked as the light expanded and sharpened.   
Myotismon laughed to himself. I've taken a few pointers since our last encounter, Digidestined he said, then gestured with his hand at the opposing group.

Maybe I'll just join Gabumon murmured Cody, sinking down to his knees as waves of sleep overcame him and the rest. 

The light in DC's hands faded and died. Digicowboy opened his eyes, and looked down at the strange object nestling in his palms. It bore a superficial resemblance to a Game Boy Advance, without any logos. To his immense surprise, he realised he knew how to use it. The shoulder buttons controlled which reality you ended up in, and the d-pad where in that world. The rest seemed to be simply fine-tuning. Myotismon glanced down at the sleeping Digidestined. He would deal with them later.

Right now, howeverhe descended into the crater, towards the astonished DC, who wasn't really up to scratch with current events. However, at the sound of someone coming into the crater, he looked up into the Digimon's face. Myotismon stretched his face into a cruel grin; he was good at cruel grins. Without thinking, DC swung his arms up to protect himself, and the DX (For such was it called) unleashed a thin stream of light towards Myotismon, attaching itself to the Digimon's chest. DC opened his eyes cautiously, just in time to see the other end of the chord disappearing into his own body. He looked up into the surprised expression of the Ultimate, and knowledge filled their brains as they realised the self-same thing: What that chord of light had meant. 

OH SHI- they yelled in unison. 

T_o Be Continued...._

* * *

DC: Long enough for you, Wingy?   
AAUK: *Mumbles something under his breath.*  
DC: Back to you, my compadre!   
AAUK: *Groans* R+R Please!

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	7. DigiOutfit Enerrrrrrrgise! :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy **

AAUK: Welcome back Digifans to an AAUK chapter!  
DC: Come on! Come on! GET ON WITH IT!  
AAUK: *Narrows eyes and hits DC across the back of the head with an Armadillomon cardboard cut-out.*  
DC: Ow!  
AAUK: !ananab a evah - tuo erugif lliw tiwt emos tbuod on taht ognil sdrawkcab siht ni kaeps tsuj I, nomigid nwo ton od I  
DC: .... tahW?  


**Chapter 7: DigiOutfit Enerrrrrrrgise!**

The light faded from the digiport and Joe blinked as his eyes readjusted themselves to the much duller tones of the normal brightness. In front of him, Izzy and the others stood an easily six foot youth in black boots, black jeans and black leather coat. He wore a shirt of pure white that appeared to be emblazoned with ebony coloured symbols of the original eight crests. Hair that was bleached as white as the shirt was, he stood with an air of confidence and he held in his hand a glowing silver device.

The little group looked on stunned at the new arrival, they all thought the same question, but Tentomon was the first digimon to be able formulate it verbally.

"AAUK?"

* * *

The machinery sprung to life whirring noisily as the image appeared on the large cinema type screen in front of them. The Toei board sat in relative silence, Mr Yamashita puffing away on a well-smoked Cuban cigar. A grey cloud floated into the air as the reel began to play, what was being shown was the rough animatic for the new Digimon 02 episodes. An animatic is basically the pre-cell drawn characters, the sketches still in pencil form only. What was different about this animatic is that for some reason it had changed to a fully coloured animated form apparently on it's own. It was also supposed to be twenty minutes long, the length of a typical episode edited for early broadcast. Something that the US and European audiences would expect to see, the only problem was that it was now also three HOURS and twenty minutes long.

No one had touched the animatic in two weeks.

Yamashita puffed more intensely, eliciting stifled coughing from aside him, the blue suited man cast a glance at the productions manager next to him and growled. The nervous and painfully thin head animator gave a half smile back, although it looked more like a half demented grin to Yamashita.

The two youths were causing all this trouble, they had long since past the events the animators had deliberately put in to erase the foreign elements. They had thought that they had succeeded until the scene switched to what appeared to be a real live flesh and blood picture of the mess in various bedrooms.

The events (of what we reading would consider to be the last few chapters of this story,) had just finished. Yamashita scowled and stood up from the chair which folded upwards into it's usual position. He marched over to the projector and ripped the plug from the wall. The two reels grinding to a halt, the animatic squeaking in protest.

"I don't care," he began, "What you have to do to get rid of these kids. I don't care if you have to cause something to erase the entire damn Digital World! We can always start again!" Yamashita put out the cigar on a nearby painting, burning a hole through the 19th Century water-colour. The animators murmured nervously, that was the last thing they wanted to do, Yamashita spun on his heel and addressed the Toei employees.

"This 'Digicowboy' - Ben or whatever the hell he claims to be called, we now know he's part of the Takenouchi family, go look through our back catalogues the papers we wrote on the history of the Digital World."

"The ones we use to check we're doing things correctly?" A subordinate asked, gaining a mad leer from his portly boss.

"The Digital timeline. The background history of the show, find out if it has changed, if you find any details of these two bring them to me and we'll find a way to get rid of them."

"What about ArchangelUK sir?" A small voice came from the animators, Yamashita raised a greying eyebrow.

"What about him?"

"He's back in the digital world, do you want us to look for details on him too?" The Toei employee was shaking, though Yamashita ignored this for a start he was used to the staff fearing his wrath. Secondly this other much older 'invader', he was still very much an unknown, they had so far found not background details on him. The large Japanese man paced agitatedly

"Not yet, something about what Gennai was going to say puzzles me. Until we get any more details don't go after him. I just have this feeling, what just happened isn't quite right..." He paused, reignited the cigar and marched out of the conference hall.

* * *

"So what did you fi- oh my god!" Sora exclaimed as a extremely different looking AAUK hauled himself over the cliff edge, Gatomon who had been riding on his back hopped off. AAUK dusted himself down and reached over to help up Izzy, 

"Is that...you AAUK?" Yolei said open mouthed

"It was the last time I looked, he flashed her a grin."

"What happened to you."

AAUK sat down and explained all what happened, the fall, the dark ocean, the presence their of Piedmon, the under sea master Dragomon, Devimon and Daemon. Their alliance, what he had learned, his torture, the digivice...

The group sat spellbound, finally Archangel gestured at his clothing. "As for the new look, I can only assume that's because I actually travelled through a digiport to the digital world this time. Not bad, is it."

The boys and digimon agreed, the girls just stared at him...

"Are you okay you two?" Izzy asked at the catatonic pair.

"Yeah." Sora murmured, sentiments echoed by Yolei. ArchangelUK smiled nervously and got up from his storytelling position,  
"It's time we made a move, we need to get out of here and get back to my world and help out Digicowboy and the rest of you DigiDestined. I think this new digivice can get us to the real world...after all, it appears to belong to me."

There was a consensus, and the small band begun to wend their way to the nearest digiport some three miles east of where they were. The girls, Biyomon, Palmon and Hawkmon lagged behind the boys. Sora took the opportunity to speak to Yolei quietly.

"So what do you think?"

"Of AAUK? Well on a scale of 1 to 5, I'd say he's at Drool Factor 5!" The purple haired girl squealed, gaining her looks of puzzlement from the males up ahead."

"You like him?" Hawkmon asked, Yolei blushed in reply.

"Sora?" Biyomon waved a wing in front of her partner's face, she didn't respond until the fifth wave.

"What?"

"Looks like Sora's in love too!" Palmon giggled.

"What?" Yolei looked alarmed, "You can't be, I saw him first!"

"Saw him first nothing...you've got Ken anyway!" Sora responded sticking her tongue out.

"You can talk Mrs Matt Ishida, and that's ignoring all the looks Tai's been giving you!"

"And what about the looks Cody's been giving YOU!"

"HE'S MINE!" Yolei's blood began to boil, the hat looked like it was going to explode off of her head at any minute. Propelled upwards into the air by a jet of high-pressurised steam.

"NO, HE'S MINE!" Sora cried and she glared menacingly at the younger co-keeper of love.

"HE'S NOT DEAF!" ArchangelUK glowing crimson cried out behind him, Gatomon and Patamon, who were riding on alternate shoulders laughed loudly as the two red faced teens marched on behind.

Gennai, who was hiding behind a rock, cursed and followed them something was not right with the second chosen one the legends had been clear as to the origins of the first, but the second was a mystery even to him. Perhaps he should seek out some assistance first, he turned and made his way rapidly off in the direction of Azulongmon's temple. He needed to know the truth behind AAUK's origins, or it could spell disaster for them all.

T_o Be Continued...._

* * *

_What is the truth behind AAUK? Will Mr Yamashita wreak his terrible vengeance on the chosen two? What was that beam of light that connected DC and Miyotismon and what did it mean? Tune in next time for more Digimon - Reality Redux!_

DC: *Rubs head* Ow....that hurt!  
AAUK: Serves you right for DEMANDING I write another RR chapter so soon, because of you "Clarity" is going to be delayed even more...  
Wolfie: WHAT!!??!  
DC: Ahhh, Wolfie....now that's not what you think...No! Put that microwave oven down Wolfie...I - Uh-oh. *CLANG!*

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	8. Any DigiPort In A Storm :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon, however we do support the BlackWarGreymon Fund for Orphaned Bamboo Trees. Registered Charity #38540C._

AAUK: I KNOW it's supposed to be DC's chapter, but I've waited so damn long for it to appear in my email that I finally said "To Hell with this!" and wrote TWO chapters at once. DC's chapter will no doubt have me and the others arriving in the Real World again. Until then there are some rather important things to be learnt in the Digital World. Digicowboy is a decendant of the Takenouchi family *tries to stifle laughter* but ArchangelUK's true identity is yet to be revealed - even to Gennai...  


**Chapter 8: Any DigiPort In A Storm**

Gennai pounded up the steps as fast as his legs could carry him. Something was not right about ArchangelUK, he could sense it, he was surprised the guardians even in their weakened state could not sense it too.

"Gennai, must you bound in like a demented child? You woke me up." Azulongmon yawned from a large pile of gold coins, startling the robed man who after a moment motioned a half bow.

"Forgive me great Azulongmon, I didn't realise you were here."

"It is my temple after all, and us dragons like our gold you know." The guardian clawed part of his gigantic hoard and chuckled, Gennai returned to an upright position.

"I'm sure, I apologise in waking you but as you are now fully concious I have a question to ask you.

"Ask away Gennai, as long as it's not the one of where baby's come from." Azulongmon laughed again, more loudly this time Gennai looked decidedly unimpressed by the Mega's jokes.

"I think I already know that. My question regards the chosen one ArchangelUK - who is he?" The digimon pondered this for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully.

"He is what he is, like you are what you are. Never going or coming but just being who he is. Nothing more and nothing less." Azulongmon fixed Gennai with a stare, the man blinked in confusion. The mega smiled, but sympathetically.

"Now I realise why the DigiDestined never understood anything I used to tell them." Gennai said, shaking his head.

"And now the Digi-boot is on the other foot as it were."

"This is important, Azulongmon." Gennai moved forward towards the edge of the dragon's hoard breaking all previously implied protocol. The dragon raised an eyebrow at the breech but chose not to mention it, he could well understand the man's anxiety. After all he was right were AAUK not to learn of his true origins the latent power he possesed could be turned to aide the forces of evil in this and other worlds. 

"Very well, he is not like the other chosen one, nor the DigiDestined."

"I was right...so who is he?" Azulongmon shot him an annoyed glance.

"If you let me finish." Gennai backed away a few feet, bowing again and apologising. Azulongmon let the moment hang for a few seconds before continuing. "He does not know who he is either, at least not truly, so it would be best for you to look up his beginnings."

"How?"

"Sometimes we have to look at where we come from in able to understand where other people have come from." Gennai cocked his head to the side in puzzlement, then began to pace up and down stroking his chin.

"Ahhh! I see. Do I have your permission then to search the digital history files?"

"Search the cookie files at your leisure Gennai my old friend. Just don't touch my bookmarks - those are for Unclassified Megas only and besides you need a credit card."

"Er...right." Gennai hooked up a laptop to a nearby pillar and started to sift through the millions of files. Azulongmon fell asleep and outside the worlds still came closer to merger.

* * *

"Those are some neat ruins."

The group stood in front of what appeared to be a temple, it was cut into the mountain face they had been walking past. There were several enterences including a great big hole in one of the walls which had been partially patched up.

"I've seen these before." Izzy said stepping forward to examine the wall, running his fingers over the stonework.

"When?" Yolei asked joining him at one of the enterance.

"This is the labyrinth where me and Mimi ended up right after Devimon split up File Island. This is the temple of the digivices."

"Oh yeah, with Centauromon." AAUK chimed, remembering the related episode of 01.

"How do you know that?" Izzy asked, squinting against the sunlight behind ArchangelUK. AAUK swallowed, perhaps this wasn't the best time to remind them he'd watched the majority of their lives go by and in some extent anyway contributed to them.

"Er, best ask me later. So we're on File Island?"

"Yes and no. When the Digiworld was repaired after our first trip here all the continents and islands bar a few anyway rejoined to form one big super-continent." Izzy brought out the yellow laptop computer and pressed a button, an animation showed how the islands had reconnected.

A crash of thunder rolled overhead. Menacing thunderclouds as black as AAUK's jacket loomed menacingly above them, they collectively looked upwards as the first spots of rain began to fall. These few tentative drops were followed by what could only be described as a deluge everyone ran for cover inside the temple.

The interior temple was decidedly run down since the last time Izzy had been there, wherever Centauromon had gone after helping them off File Island he hadn't come back here. Perhaps he felt his duty had been fulfilled, whatever the case, in his absence the place had fallen into complete disrepair. The word 'ruins' Sora had used earlier had abtly described its inner chambers, it was however still dry at the very least.

The group sat shivering on and around an alter, the flat worked stone being preferable to rough natural kind. Joe looked around, having been silent for a while since the close scrape with AAUK and the Dark Ocean, he suddenly realised that Patamon and Gatomon had vanished. The blue haired boy made to ask where they were, but his vision quickly focused on two distinct bumps. The bumps were rather, er, imappropriate shall we say to be on a male form - (you didn't have to be a medical student to figure that one out). Joe simply pointed at AAUK who followed the boy's gesture to the two lumps on his person. ArchangelUK raised an eyebrow before clearing his throat.

"Er, Gatomon; why are you hiding under my coat?" There was a rustling from the coat then a white furry head popped out from the opening about a few inches below the wearer's neck

"I'm a cat, I don't like water." She grinned looking upwards, he shook his head.

"Okay, Patamon. Why are YOU hiding under my coat?" He addressed the second lump which again began to move. An orange head with pushed back wing-ears appeared beside the white one, pressed tightly together under the restrictions of space in the coat.

"Um. Company?" The girls giggled, although Gatomon could have kicked Patamon, it was hardly the best wording he could have used. Patamon then realised his close proximity and the pair of digimon blushed furiously.

"Look this is all very cute looking with you two cosying up together but I'd sooner you did it by a fire and not in my coat, especially while I'm wearing it!"

* * *

Finally Gennai had found the file, he prayed the others were still alright he had not seen them in some time. Gennai could have sworn there was something to do with him in all of this and his preminations were correct. On activation the screen showed what could only be the birth of the Digital World, he saw himself too at an approximate age of nine human years. He was shaking, afraid. Odd, Gennai remembered none of this.

The younger version of himself fell to his knees blinking back tears, seemingly torn between admiring the splendor of the new digital world and some terrible turmoil. The sky suddenly brightened to a dazzling white and all Gennai could see was his younger counterpart.

* * *

_Gennai..._

The voice seemed to be everywhere, Gennai confused, looked up and around trying to determine where the voice had come from.

_"Yes?"_

_You have made the supreme sacrifice, one which cannot be explained in mere words._

_"The digital world, it's alive?"_

_Yes... The Darkness kept it's part of the bargain and allowed your world to be created. It appears you were right, the humans know of our existence soon they shall begin to broarden this land."_

Gennai breathed a sigh of relief. All they had fought for so hard, be it through negotiation or actual conflict had finally come to fruition and the pure Powers would willingly not war, at least directly. New worlds had been born and it would be up to the creatures that would come to inhabit them to decide between whether they would follow the Light or Darkness

_But we do not know how long the Darkness will keep it's bargain and we have lost our strongest ally._

_"W-will he ever come back?"_

_I do not know._

_But you are the Light! You are all seeing and all knowing! Are you of all things trying to tell me you don't know what happened to Angelus?"_

_I wish things were that simple. The new world is born, it is born in the mind of a human who will create an idea. Others will shape this idea, it will grow, in time the Darkness may see this world as a valuable asset. When that time comes, look outwards to the stars my friend, for those who value this world will send you help somehow. They have the power within them to create other beings, other worlds, such is the power of the human spirit._

_"I understand."_

_But beware the Keymaster._

_"Beware?" _Gennai stood up,_ "Beware??"_

_With the sacrifice of the Gatekeeper there are no limits, no boundaries to the way the worlds will grow and their influences spread. They will bleed into each other, distorting what was and what will be, if unchecked they will merge. The Unification will destroy everything. When it has truly begun an ancient soul will resurface he will join together with the last of the first warrior line. They will bring harmony to all worlds of good and evil._

_"I-I don't understand. Please explain this to me."_

_I cannot, and now I must leave, new gods will be created for this realm. This is no longer my domain but it forever shall be yours, guide those who will try to help the darkness, for you can no longer fight it directly yourself. You will never again be a Warrior of Light, but there may come a time where there can be only one remaining._

And then the light receeded and the recording ended.

* * *

"Hey, I'm beeping!" 

"Where have we heard that before?" Gatomon purred with amusement.

"Never?" Hawkmon simply replied, Gatomon thought for a few seconds then realising they hadn't glowered at the bird.

"Okay, you win this round feather boy." Hawkmon grinned, or the closest approximation possible with a beak but stopped when Gatomon glared at him. He swallowed and turned back to his partner Yolei who had taken out her burgandy digivice. 

"Odd my D3 isn't picking up a signal."

"Ours aren't either." Joe added, casting an eye at his Version 2 model. Sora and Izzy nodded in agreement, AAUK reached into his pocket picked out the DX and examined it. A series of LED's were flashing on the side seemingly pointing towards an enterence way.

"Shall we follow it?"

"You're the chosen one!" Yolei said in an annoyingly loud voice, ArchangelUK gave a very forced grin back turned to Sora and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, tell me about it." He muttered, Sora laughed and they smiled at each other. Joe elbowed Izzy and the pair nodded knowingly, the Digimon looked on confused save for Patamon and Gatomon who caught Joe's eye and nodded at him too. Yolei couldn't see these interchanges and was busy looking at the language written on the wall.

"Well you two had best lead the way then." The bespectacled young man pointed towards the enterance way. "Lead on fearless leader."

"Hardly fearless, and hardly a leader. You can drop the ArchangelUK thing as well if you like."

"How about 'Wingy'." Yolei tried, AAUK scowled at her.

"Only Digicowboy - Ben - calls me that and he's not here..." Sora tried not to feel too pleased by the way Yolei's face fell.

"Alright then so what do we call you?" She asked as she and AAUK led the group into the tunnel the light from the DX clearly showing the path to take. He smiled.

"Call me Angelus."

T_o Be Continued...._

* * *

_Is ArchangelUK the mysterious 'Gatekeeper'? What will he and the others find within the Temple of the Digivice? What is ArchangelUK's connection with Gennai? Will Yolei take revenge on Sora? Is Wolfie STILL on the run from that Tyranomon?_

Wolfie: *Out of breath* Has DC been kidnapped by Aliens? Where is he anyway???  
AAUK: *Shrugs*

_Some if not all of this will be revealed in the next chapter of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

AAUK: Wolfie...  
Wolfie: Yes?  
AAUK: Did you really have to hit DC so hard with that microwave?  
Wolfie. Yes.  
AAUK: Ok, just checking...  


**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	9. Lineage :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon, however we do own several items of Digimobelia which are for sale at auction. Now what do I hear for this autographed segment of WarGreymon's shield -  
  
__DoIhear£30?£30£30£30?£40£40£40?£50£50£50? NomorebidsdoIhearanybidsoncetwicesoldtothegentlemanatthebackfor£40!_

AAUK: Are you gonna give me this chapter of yours or what? Or do I have to post another chapter by me?  
DC: Soon! Soon! My PC broke down and I lost my chapter, I've had to rewrite it.......[23 minutes later]...It's not my fault! I tried to do this all but I've got all this other stuff to do and I - *CLANG! A piano filled with strawberry custard falls onto him*  
AAUK: *Calling upwards* Thanks Wolfie!  
Wolfie: *Calling Downwards* Oooookaaaay!  
AAUK: Another AAUK chapter then...  


**Chapter 9: Lineage**

They had been walking for perhaps two hours and all their feet ached, all that was save for Patamon and Gatomon who continued to enjoy their ride on ArchangelUK's shoulders. Palmon groaned, her roots hurt and so did her stems, and her leaves, and her flowers and everything. She suddenly realised she was beginning to sound like Mimi so clamped up before she could voice her opinions. The torch light shone onto the ancient stone casting shadows that frightened minds would believe to be monsters, yet still they walked on. Eventually the LED's on the DX all flashed as one, indicating they had found their journey's end.

The beam washed over a large tablet raised up from the centre of the floor. It was a yellow stone, rectangular in shape and was covered in a thick layer of dust which Sora tentatively blew at revealing a deep groove cut out of it.

"Gagh, there's so much dust here." AAUK muttered scooping off more of the aforementioned covering.

"The more we seem to clear it Angelus, the more sand seems to appear." Sora moaned.

"Why don't you do something Gomamon, you haven't done anything at all yet."

"Oh thanks Joe!"

"Maybe I could help." Patamon grinned, "Boom Bubble, PAH!" The ball of air dislodged the rest of the sand if only to cover Joe and ArchangelUK with it. It also revealed a number of hieroglyphs carved into the face they looked familiar to them.

"What is all that writing?" Yolei traced a finger over the symbols,

"It looks like the ancient Digital language." Biyomon chirped as she hovered above the tablet.

"What does it say?" Yolei asked turning to Izzy, the boy genius scoffed annoyed.

"Do I look like a translator?"

"No, but you look like a computeraholic who has translated them before." Sora said with a hint of anger in her normally peaceful voice, she stood hands on hips and Izzy did not meet her glance.

"Fair point." He said biting his lip, Joe and Angelus shrugged when Sora got annoyed, thought you weren't pulling your weight or believed you could be doing something to help she told you. Joe thought back to the times in the Digital World when she had taken it to both Matt and Tai for being childish. He chuckled at the memory as Izzy tapped fervently away.

"Do we know what it is."

"Well I can tell you what's underneath it." A picture slowly appeared on the laptop of a long leather bound item, a golden hilt jutted from the top of the bundle.

"Hey it's a sword! Groovy!" Angelus grinned.

"So Izzy, what does the writing say?" Joe asked leaning forward eagerly.

"It says, 'Who so ever pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is rightwise King, born of England'." Joe rolled his eyes.

"Very funny Disney boy, what does it really say?"

"It just says, 'Only the true Gatekeeper shall wield his sword.'"

"Gatekeeper?" 

"Don't ask me." Izzy wasn't sure what that meant, however he had found something else. On the front of side of the tablet there was a groove cut out, not anything special at a first glance but on closer inspection it was exactly the same shape as the DX digivice. Angelus flipped it over in his palm repeatedly, as he examined the tablet. The others crowded around successfully blocking the light from the torch that Sora was holding for him. After a moment's reorganisation and the stream of light being restored AAUK stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmmm."

"So Angelus, are you gonna give it a go?" Gomamon asked, turning to ArchangelUK who shrugged.

"Yup. I suppose so."

"You suppose so?" Yolei asked, Angelus spun round annoyed.

"Yes." He said, jamming the DX into the gap. "I suppose so."

Everything began to shake - the tablet, the floor, themselves. The stone slab rose up out of the ground revealing it to not be a tablet but actually the top of a large stone alter. Small stones fell down around them from the ancient ceiling and everyone covered their heads fearful of being hurt. Suddenly there was silence but for a moment nobody dared move.

"Well that was a novel experience." Joe's voice echoed through the chamber."

"If that's what happens when Angelus supposes something I'd hate to be around when he's certain." Tentomon buzzed, rubbing one of his antennae which was grazed by a rock.

"I think it's over now Yolei." Halssemon said, somewhere during all that noise Hawkmon had armour digivolved and Yolei was sheltering under him.

"Yeah, it's over now Sora." Patamon grinned, "You can let go of Angelus now."

"Ca.....an't bre-breeeeeathe."

"Oh! Um, sorry." Sora relinquished her grip and tried to hide her face as it went a deep red. Angelus's face on the other hand was blue but was now turning red himself, Gatomon thought the whole thing was hilarious.

"Haaaahahaha!" She rolled around on the floor, Patamon shook his head and sighed.

"That's rich coming from the mon who as soon as the floor started to move clutched onto Patamon for all she was worth." Gomamon grinned, earning a thank you glance from Sora as well as a death glare from the digital cat. Gomamon winked at Joe who ruffled his tuft of red hair in response.

"Shouldn't we all better see this sword then?" Izzy asked, getting up off of the floor.

"Stop." Gennai materialised next to the alter, "You cannot take this sword, not yet. You are not ready for it's power."

"It has power?"

"Oy. I shouldn't have told you that." Gennai slapped his hand to his forehead. "There are things that must be discussed first."

The robed man told them all about the DigiDestined and the battle at hand, the return of Miyotismon and the discovery of the truth behind DC's heritage. There was a series of gasps and Gatomon had to be held down when she heard about the return (for the third time) of Miyotismon.

"Can't the guy take a hint?" Yolei mumbled,

"I suspected something like this." ArchangelUK admitted, "Especially after the whole Dark Ocean business, they mentioned something about their associate. Looks like it was him."

"Wait 'till I get my paws on him, if he goes anywhere near Kari..."

"Hey, when did you leave them anyway?" Gomamon asked,

"About two days ago."

"Two days!" Gatomon yelled, "Two whole days! They could be in serious trouble! They could be hurt! They could be-"

"-Perfectly fine. Though the Unification has thrown out the timescale as we know it, the DigiWorld time still moves much more rapidly than the real world. We can go back to virtually the same moment I left, maybe a minute or two after."

"Alright then, let's go help." Angelus reached out for the sword, but Gennai slapped the hand away drawing gasps from everyone else.

"There is more." He said simply, and went on to explain that AAUK's lineage was also not what he believed it to be.

"I'm not sure what happened, it's a long time ago and I can't remember that far back but you are not who you are. Just as DC/Ben didn't realise who he truly was and maybe I don't really know who I am either."

"Oh I see..." Angelus managed after a while.

"You do?" Hawkmon asked astonished, Angelus pulled a face.

"Sort of."

"Well it'll be something implausible no doubt." Joe said, 

"It has to be if DC is related to me!" Sora snorted, sending Gomamon into fits of laughter.

"Ha ha ha! Ben Takenouchi!"

"It could be worse, I could be a *cough* Motomiya." 

"Eww." Was the unified response, Gennai shook his head, time was being wasted and he was losing patience as well.

"Precisely."

"As you said it'll be something completely barmy." Hawkmon said thoughtfully, tapping a feathery finger against the side of his beak.

"Something totally ridiculous, like I'm Gennai's father."

"I don't like that idea." Replied the keeper of love, her eyebrows knotting together.

"You think I would?"

"And you age backwards and have amnesia due to the fact you were sent into a Gate of Destiny from an alternate DigiWorld where there was a Dark spiral controlled MagnaAngemon or something." Gatomon was getting into this now Gennai gritted his teeth together in annoyance. Patamon was about to go into a long argument that he could never be evil when Gennai interrupted him.

"This is not a joke Archangel."

"It isn't?" Angelus said suddenly concerned.

"You are not of the real world."

"Stuff and nonsense." The youth spat, turning away and walking towards the other end of the pillar.

"Really? Then check the Digital World records and see. You will find your origin locked there in the very first file recording the digital world's creation."

"The DigiWorld has records?" Izzy asked puzzled, Gennai sighed.

"Of course. It's digital."

"So does it have a desktop too?" Teased Tentomon, Gennai growled at the insectoid digimon of knowledge and marched off towards the far side of the chamber.

"Just follow me."

At the far wall was a very large section of digital hieroglyphs and a carved scene depicting some kind of event. Two males about fourteen holding swords stood holding off what appeared to be a wall of vicious creatures. Images of battle came next, the two boys becoming triumphant over the depicted evil.

"I used to think they we're Tai and Matt." Gennai said turning around, "From a time in the future, then for a while I even thought they might be Davis and Ken - until I realised that was nonsense." Indeed, the prospect of a sword in Davis's hands was very frightening. 

"So who are they then?" Squeaked Patamon, landing once more on Angelus's shoulder. Angelus turned to Gennai, his eyes answering the same question as his orange friend.

"Look harder." Gennai said pointing to the wall,

_Oh brilliant, he's turning into the DigiWorld equivalent of Rafiki._ AAUK thought to himself but none the less followed Gennai's pointing finger.

Then Angelus realised that the one on the left looked decidedly like a much younger version of Gennai. The one on the right however looked a lot like him....a LOT like him.

"What is this?"

"It's the truth ArchangelUK."

"I don't believe it." He spun away from the wall and marched back over to the alter, the others in pursuit.

"What is there not to believe? You just can't remember."

"Are you telling me that my entire life, my family, my friends - it's all a lie?" Angelus glared menacingly at Gennai as he turned back, but the middle-aged man seemingly took no notice. Or maybe he simply did not take in the very obvious look of anger.

"Not your friends no, nor your family. They believe you are their son without question, just as you yourself believed in them."

"I haven't stopped believing, so why use the past tense?" Angelus was getting angrier, not helped by Gennai's pigheaded refusal to accept that what he was saying was destroying anything and everything he had ever believed in. He held his head in his hands, a deep pain throbbing in the side of his skull.

"Because it is the past."

"I've heard enough of this. Enough of you." Now it was Gennai's turn to be angry.

"You are the gatekeeper, a chosen one, the one prophesied to end the Unification with the last of the Takenouchi-Alzari line."

"Takenouchi-Alzari? Huh, it gets worse!" Gomamon chuckled, Gennai grabbed Angelus by the arm and boomed at him.

"It is your duty! It is your birthright! It is what is written and shall BE!"

Angelus spun round grabbing the sword off of the alter, the weapon radiated blue light at his touch. He swung it toward the old man and only stopped when even Gennai thought he was dead. When he opened his eyes and pointed the pupils downwards he could see that the razor sharp silver blade had stopped dead still. It was barely a millimetre from his neck, Gennai didn't even dare swallow less it push his throat onto the blade. Angelus locked eyes with him, a steely gaze, his eyes a vast pit of fury.

"Leave now. Or bits of you leave in different directions. Your choice."

And with that Gennai very wisely vanished.

"You guys need to help out DC, that alone should be your priority. Besides, you guys deserve to see the real world too."

"What are you going to do?"

"Follow him; and see if what he says is true."

"Are you sure you don't want some company?" Gatomon said pawing the hem of Angelus's black jeans.

"Since when did you back away from a fight?"

"I just thought you might want some backup." She grinned.

"No, I'll be fine. Besides Kari needs you to help against Miyotismon, you don't want to pass that off do you?"

"Hell no."

"Then let's see what this thing can do." Angelus pointed the sword downwards so it's blade was nearest the floor. "Earth Gate Open." He pushed the sword downwards the point connecting with the ground sending out rays of blue light. The light formed an archway which hovered in mid-air rather unsteadily in the centre a picture of Digicowboy could be seen, suddenly a stream of light erupted from the device he was carrying which struck him and another figure - Miyotismon."

"How did you... do that?" Patamon asked dumbfounded,

"I don't know." He gestured towards the gate, "Go help the others, I'll be okay." He nodded at Sora who looked decidedly worried, this time Yolei did notice and went to protest but was pushed, or rather kicked through the archway by Hawkmon.

"I've wanted to do that for a very long time!" The English bird said smiling, and flew into the arch himself. The others did to, Angelus watched as Gatomon and Patamon pushed and pulled Sora through the gate which closed behind her. He smiled grimly, there was work to be done and things to be found out. Angelus picked up the scabbard from the alter, it was black and gold. He fitted the straps so it rested behind his back then he sheaved the sword and looked towards where the gate was. 

"I don't know how I did that Patamon my friend, but I'm going to find out." And he walked purposefully out of the temple and in the direction of something in the distance - Infinity Mountain.

T_o Be Continued...._

* * *

_Will ArchangelUK find out the truth? Is Gennai really correct? What waits at the top of Infinity Mountain? Will this announcer stop asking questions? Will he get the paid holiday he asked for or will he have to go on strike? Tune in to the next Digimon - Reality Redux to find out!_

AAUK: Hey this strawberry custard isn't bad.  
Wolfie: Really? Let me have some!  
AAUK: Get a bucket and help yourself.  
Wolfie. Cooly!  
DC: Hey! That's my line!  


**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	10. Keymaster :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

DC: SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY!   
AAUK: *glowers*   
DC: My computer is evil!   
AAUK: *glowers*   
DC: IT'S NOT MY FAULT!   
AAUK: *glowers*   
DC: Are you going to kill me?   
AAUK: *nods*   
DC: We do not own Digimon-(backing away)-in any way- (Opening a bomb shelter)- shape or form. (Jumps in and closes door) Now all I have to do is make it to the end of the chapter. 

**Chapter 10: Keymaster**

Mr Yamashita gazed open mouthed at the Animatic. This was just too bizarre. The screen was switched off. The power was cut. It was still working. It wasn't fair, he reflected bitterly as he gulped down another glass of sake. He didn't deserve this. All the time he'd spent on this series and now it was turning around and kicking him when he was down. He'd felt a ray of hope when he saw MyotismonIf anyone could kill those chosen ones' who were wrecking his cartoon and his nerves, it was him. And thenhe gritted his teeth. And then Myotismon had been made aDigimon partner. To one of the two pests that were single handedly taking his beloved series apartBut maybe, he mulled, Myotismon is still the answer. We created him. He's like a son to me. And no son of mine is going to disobey me 

In the Tokyo plaza, the air rippled and stretched like silk, and presently a Digiport opened and from it came ArchangelUK and the rest of the Digidestined. 

We're back! AAUK announced cheerfully. And you'll never guess what we've been through.   
  
"Hey - what the???" Joe began, but Izzy finished it for him.

"Where did you spring from? I thought you were going off to find Gennai and sort everything out."

"Yes." Angelus nodded, "I did and have, remember time is rather up the creek at the moment, I've actually been away for a week but for you merely a split second - I'll tell you what happened later, okay?" Unnoticed by him, the Digidestined were all staring at him. Then he noticed the state of the plaza. Various Digidestined were being enthusiastically re-united with their estranged parteners, Davis and Cody were still out for the count on the pavement, and in the centre of it all was a fair sized crater. 

Someone's been busy. He remarked. Without warning, Ben popped his head out of the crater. 

Wingy! Hi! he shouted. We'll be right over! He blinked, and shook his head. 

You do know you haveGod, this sounds so dumb wings, don't you? ArchangelUK looked bemused, and slowly reached his hand over his head towards his shoulders. His hands touched feathers. They hadn't been there before he opened the port to Earth, he knew that much. 

The human mind is a funny thing. You would have thought that the first thought to go through AAUK's mind would be something along the lines of Hooray, now I can get to town without paying bus fares' or Wow. I have wings!' as it turned out however, his first thought was unprintable. Which is a pity, because it summed up the situation almost perfectly. 

* * *

Gennai sat on top of Azulongmon's temple. He needed to think. Beware the Keymaster' What did it mean, and where had he heard it before? It nagged at his mind. He knew that he had seen the word written somewhere, recently. But where?   
Keymaster, Keymaster he muttered under his breath. And then it came. In the prophecy there was a section that he and his fellows had given up on. It seemed to be about the time of Unification, but it was so obscure as to be incomprehensible. He went to look for it. 

time of our despairThe dark beast He thumbed through the immense tome that contained the prophecy in its entirety. Ah! Here we are And the Gatekeeper and the Traveller shall be revealed to you, for such is their destiny. And the Gatekeeper will protect the Three- This place, and the place of the Chosen Children, and the place that was his home, and he shall be the Guardian, and the Darkness shall not pass. Pity on the Gatekeeper, for such is he confined and may never venture past. And the Traveller shall go forth, and it is his task and burden to free other worlds like this one. Pity on the Traveller, for he shall never return home.   
And in the time of the Gatekeeper and the Traveller shall arise the greatest threat ye have ever faced, and he shall be the Keymaster, and he shall strive to undo the freedom that this world sorely deserves. And the Keymaster comes not from this world, or from the world of the Chosen Children, but the from the world of the Gatekeeper and the Traveller. Beware the Keymaster.'   
Gennai rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. The Book of The Light always left him feeling drained of energyAnd he didn't feel any closer to discovering who the Keymaster could be 

* * *

In his defence, Mr Yamashita has been under a lot of stress lately. Almost anyone would be, in his position. Had he been in a normal state of mind, he would not have started to listen to the dark voice. 

it whispered in the confines of his skull. You have a great destiny, Yamashita And he sat up, and he listened. He sat and he listened and he learned what the dark voice told him. You have a great destiny, Yamashita It always came back to that. You are the master of the Digital world, YamashitaYou created it, did you not? 

Yes, I suppose I did 

The Digital World was once yours, Yamashita. And the world of the Digidestined. Were they not like children to you? 

And the Children should not disobey the father, should they? And why are they deserting you, your own children? 

The Chosen Ones 

Yes. If you can deal with them, you can be a the voice paused. happy family once again. All you have to do, Keymaster, is listen to me 

* * *

That had been, it seemed, a long time ago, when the Chosen Ones were still both in the digital world. The old Yamashita was concerned with profits. The old Yamashita was, all in all, a good employer. The old Yamashita thought of himself as a businessman. The new Yamashita thought of himself as a God. The new Yamashita would settle for nothing less than blood. And under the silent tuition of the dark voice, the power that had been his to command since the day he created the Digital World was brought into play. 

There was now a large crowd of curious spectators in the square. 

Calm down, Angelus. It's no big thing 

YOU WOULD SAY THAT! AAUK shouted at Patamon. What the hell am I supposed to do with wings, for crying out loud? None of my jackets will fit. He added. Ben looked visibly embarrassed. 

Do you think we should get him inside? People are starting to stare 

Gee, I wonder why that is murmured Gatomon. 

Hello, Gatomon. 

she cried as he appeared out of the crater. 

Well, he was kind of sent here to kill Ben, but Mimi shrugged. It doesn't look like he's going to, anymore.   
Ben looked sheepish.

I didn't get time to tell you before Wingy here started kicking up hell, but Myotismon is kind of my 

* * *

Yamashita closed his eyes. The dark voice had been right. He could sense them out there.   
Are you sure about this? he murmured to the dark voice.

You must, if you are to fulfil your destiny and reign over the Digital World forevermore. Yamashita sighed, and focused his thoughts. And behind and above Myotismon, the Gate of Destiny opened. 

Almost before Ben was aware of it, Myotismon was being pulled backwards into the air. Desperately, he lunged for the wrist of the Chosen one. But it didn't work. Ben was also being tugged back by the irresistible force emanating from the pure white circle. 

Poison Ivy! Vines wrapped themselves around Ben's legs as Palmon and Mimi tried frantically to pull them away. With a sudden tug, Myotismon disappeared into the Gate, laving Ben a mere half metre away from the deadly opening.   


We can pull you in, Ben! shouted Mimi, the hair streaming around her face as the ethereal winds screamed around the group on the ground.

No! I'm going to follow him! 

I'm not going to let you go! she screamed back. Palmon started to pull her vines back in, visibly wilting under the strain. Ben regarded Mimi in silence for a second, indecision plain in his eyes. Then he shook his head. 

.When I come back ,I may want to talk to you about that, Mimi. He turned his head towards Sora. And say hi' to mum for me! he shouted, pulling his foot free of Palmon's vines. No longer being pulled in two different ways, he shot into the Gate, and disappeared from sight. Slowly, the gate closed. 

T_o Be Continued...._

* * *

DC: You see? I did survive the chapter!   
AAUK: *various weapons scattered around him* How, exactly?   
DC: I made the shelter out of plot twists. *looks proud*   
AAUK: Next time, DCNext time. 

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	11. Identity Crisis Pt I: Traitor's Gate :AA...

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon - Digital Monsters let alone these groceries here...no officers, Winona Ryder did it! Her there! That one! Yeah...get her!_

DC: Mwah ha ha I reign supreme!  
AAUK: How can you reign supreme? You threw yourself in a Gate of Destiny!  
DC: Good point.  
AAUK: And you're out of the bomb shelter now.  
DC: *Sweatdrops* Good point. *Runs*  


**Chapter 11: Identity Crisis Pt I - Traitor's Gate**

The winds screamed around him, and there was nothing but the brightest of bright white light. It seemed to ripple with power; an awesome, frightening power he couldn't contemplate but the decision he made was neccessary in the long run. He had to follow his parter - his digimon partner - to whatever plane they were sent, if they were sent into oblivion he would join him. He hoped it wouldn't be oblivion, then again if it was he wouldn't have to pay back that £20 he owed HaloGatomon. So the Traveller accepted his fate and yanked his foot free of his anchor.

* * *

The pool of black water showed the gate materialise and the chosen one disappear into it along with Miyotismon. There was a cheer among the Scubamon and among the evil digimon there, the four dark creatures cackled with glee.

"We are victorious!" Dragomon boomed, "The chosen one has been banished to another realm from which he cannot return."

"Without him we are unstoppable." Daemon said, grinning beneath the top of his purply-red robe. "And the traitor Miyotismon has been removed as well." Devimon nodded in agreement but Piedmon did not, he mearly grinned mischeviously.

"You do not agree Piedmon?" Devimon asked, the mega phantom digimon sighed openly.

"You three bit-players never read the script fully do you?" He scolded, "Our nosferatu friend has a much more interesting story arc than you know of yet."

"He does?" Daemon looked confused, he glanced at Daemon who shrugged even he couldn't understand how Piedmon seemed to know all of this.

"Oh yes. The show is not over yet for Miyotismon."

"Oh. How do you know this Piedmon?" The insane clown chuckled as only an insane clown could. He reached down and picked up three Scubamon who happened to be nearby and started to juggle them, they screamed in terror begging for mercy only to have the juggler add a further four to his collection. Dragomon scowled, not liking what Piedmon was doing to his subjects, hurting and terrifying them was after all his job.

"As I said I've read my script fully, but to more pressing matters - the Gatekeeper has returned in ArchangelUK. He has the sword."

"That may be." Devimon noted, "But that does not mean he can use it." Dragomon spun around to the ultimate and fixed him with his red eyes.

"If he can't use it then how did he manage to return to his world along with the remainder of the chosen children?" Devimon baulked,

"Good point." The demon muttered. Piedmon paced up and down agitatedly, still juggling the terrified Scubamon, he suddenly removed one of his blades and sliced into all seven deleting them with very little fuss. He replaced the blade and reached into the slit of his tunic again, his hand removing the gold digiegg.

"If ArchangelUK knows about being the Gatekeeper there's also a very good chance he knows about the importance of the Golden Digieggs. If that is so, then it is important we take action immediately!"

"What do you suggest?"

"We need to buy some time for the master so he can regain his strength before he is discovered. I suggest that we four take a little trip to the Real World and see what it's like."

"Ah, a nice holiday." Dragomon chuckled. "I'll pack my hawaian shirt!" Piedmon raised an eyebrow.

"Yes..." Maybe he wasn't the most demented one after all.

* * *

"BEN!" Angelus yelled, at the gate close behind his friend. There was an eerie silence. People in the street were carrying on as if nothing had happened, even ignoring the little band of digimon. Mimi was on her knees tears streaming down her face as fast as they could form in her ruby eyes. Joe, TK and Kari were trying to comfort her. Biyomon, Gomamon and Gabumon were all seeing to Palmon who had hurt herself trying to haul the chosen one back down to the ground.

"Why did he have to do that?" Mimi sobbed, "Why?" She buried her head in Joe's shoulder, her long time friend rubbed her back in small circles trying to calm her with little success. Davis marched over to Angelus and plucked Patamon up off of his shoulder by the ears -

"Hey! Ow! Lemmie go Davis!"

"Davis let him go!" TK was already in motion towards him, Davis didn't see, or didn't care.

"All right pot roast!" The begoggled boy yelled at the orange digimon, "Where did you send him? I know that was a Gate of Destiny so that means you created it. Where did you send Ben and Miyotismon??"

"What? I didn't send them anywhere!"

"Oh so you killed them?"

"Lemmie go - Boom Bubble! PAH!" Davis twisted Patamon round so the ball of compressed air avoided him. In fact it hit Angelus dead centre of the chest, knocking him and Gatomon who was sitting on his shoulder again straight back into the advancing TK. Not that Davis cared. TK groaned as he was pounced upon by his friends, Gatomon and Angelus did get up with some help.

"Leave him alone Davis he didn't open that gate." Ken demanded to little avail.

"It's one of his little specialities." The boy insisted, "A reeeaaal party piece(!)" The position was obviously hurting Patamon now and it was taking Matt, Joe, Tai, Kari and Sora to hold an irate TK down. Wormmon had even used his sticky thread to pin him down but somehow where that attack had successfully stopped rookies, champions and even other humans in the past it now failed. TK was angry, he was in full blown fury-mode, something had to be done and fast even Kari and Matt's begging had no effect.

"Oww! It wasn't me!" Patamon still insisted, Angelus grabbed Davis by the shoulder and he looked around not into the Gatekeeper's eyes but into a pair of decidely feline ones.

"How could it be Patamon, he would have had to digivolve to MagnaAngemon to do that kind of thing!" Gatomon had a glimmer in her eye which Davis noticed and quickly dropped Patamon who was caught by Angelus. Gatomon did not change her stance as the little rookie tried to regain himself.

"Then who did it?" Davis demanded, looking around everyone. "Who here can open gates huh? I don't see anyone else!"

"Well actually, Angelus can..."

"What was that?" Everyone looked towards the source of the voice, it was Yolei.

"Yeah, he opened a gate to the real world with that sword of his, he's this 'Gatekeeper' aparently..." She trailed off, Angelus rolled his eyes.

"Gee, thanks Yolei."

"You? Gates?" Davis blinked, "Traitor!" He screamed and leapt at Angelus, who drew his sword and hit Davis between the eyes with it's hilt. Davis Motomiya crashed to the ground unconcious.

"Oh well." Veemon sighed, "Better that way then have the hell beaten out of him by TK."

"If you'd let me explain what happened in the last week maybe you'll understand." He addressed the motionless form, "You all will understand exactly what we are facing and exactly why me and DC were chosen. Exactly why we are all in very real danger."

Angelus sheaved his sword and moved over to below where the gate had materialised. He raised his hand in the air and closed his eyes tightly trying to concentrate on what he was looking for, but whatever it was after a minute he couldn't find it. "Hmm." He muttered, "Interesting."

"Interesting?" Tai repeated with an exasperated look on his face.

"The gate is not locked, I can open it again."

"You can?"

"But not yet, it takes a lot of energy to be able to open a gate and I've not long opened one from DigiWorld to here. I don't even know where this one goes."

"Which give you plenty of time to explain what's going on." Matt said, they made their way to a small cafe. The owner didn't seem to care about the fact there was a bunch of monsters sitting around talking and a youth with wings who had just ordered a moccha. To him they were just more customers for his beliguered business. Angelus sat down, or tried to, shifting his weight and position to try and accomodate his new appendages.

"Wings..." He sighed, "How am I gonna get in the shower with these things?" Kari whispered something to Sora and they giggled convulsively earning them stares of bemusement, Sora blushed openly earning Angelus a glare from Tai.

"Okaaaayyyy...."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning with this sword of yours for the benefit of us who weren't with you." TK suggested, as he threw the still KO'd Davis into a chair his arms flopping down either side of the two arm rests. He groaned, no one had much sympathy.

"And where did you get that new hairstyle?" AAUK noted his hair had stayed the same, still short and bleached white yet his clothes had originated back to his blue jeans and shirt. He went to speak but was interrupted by the voice of an eight year old girl off to his right.

"Mummy! Look, it's Yue!" The little girl jumped up and down pointing at Angelus who blinked disbeleavingly.

"Yue?"

"The wings! The hair! It is him!" The girl said jumping up and down even more, a boy perhaps a year or so younger than the girl but equally excited broke free from his tired mothers grasp and raced up to AAUK.

"Yue! I just wanted to say I loved you in Cardcaptors!"

".....Cardcaptors?!?!" The boy went to answer but his mother had lost patience and finally dragged him and his sister off with only the expected loud chorus of disapproval. AAUK shook his head in disillusionment, 

"Great now I'm gonna be forever mistaken for a cartoon character." He looked up at the digidestined. "No offence."

"You were going to say?" Ken offered an escape route Angelus greatfully accepted.

"It starts before there. It starts when we were falling and you guy got thrown into the real Earth."

"Well, begin from there."

So Angelus did. He told them about the Dark Ocean, what he found there, the temple on what was File Island, the sword, being the Gatekeeper, Gennai stopping him and sending the Digidestined back.

"So I went off to the top of Infinity Mountain to find Gennai, and see what this was all about."  


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_What evil scheme does Piedmon have in mind? Wlll Ben and his partner Miyotismon be okay? What did happen with AAUK and Gennai? Find out next time on Digimon - Reality Redux!_

AAUK: Don't worry I don't want a chapter off of you yet.  
DC: You don't?  
AAUK: Yeah, after all I did this in less than an hour. It's the first of two parts, part two of which will be up next week sometimes.  
DC: *Gawps* Two parts.  
AAUK: It'll put you in good steps for your next chapter number 13.  
DC: ...  


**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	12. Identity Crisis Pt II: Prophecies of Pow...

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We used to own Digimon, but we traded it in for a second hand copy of Mary Poppins on video....oh well at least we've now got a dozen penguin waiters to hire out..._

DC: So this is part two...  
AAUK: ...of four.  
DC: Of...WHAT???  
AAUK: Four.  
DC: *Sweatdrops*  
AAUK: Or maybe three, but it's important I get these bit out of the way...  


**Chapter 12: Identity Crisis Pt II - Prophecies of Power**

"So you came then?"

"Yes I had to."

"Let me tell you what I know so far."

It had been a very long and tiring climb up to the top of Infinity Mountain, much longer and more tiring than Angelus had contemplated when he first decided on climbing it. It had taken him a day, he wished he had a Birdamon or something to help him up to the top. He thought of how Gatomon could have armour digivolved to Nefertimon and could have carried him to it's peak. But ohhh no, he had to refuse her help and now he had trudged up the tall mountain on his lonesome, his feet ached terribly not that there had been anyone around to care. He had climbed it to find out who he really was; if he was really this fabled Gatekeeper - although all the signs seemed to point to it. Not long ago he was a normal(ish) guy in a boring college course and now here he was in the temple on it's peak in front of a middle aged robed man who the best part of a week ago had been merely a cartoon character. Waiting to find out if his life really was a lie and he was this demi-god figure, naturally Gennai had kept him waiting the best part of seven hours before turning up.

"A long time ago, when light was young and the darkness already old there was a ceasefire of sorts between them, both came to the conclusion that the seemingly never-ending war was...well...pointless. This was rather amazing for the battle had been waged for billions of years.

No side had even managed to impact upon the other, they were at a complete standstill. From the forces of light two warriors put forward a proposal, and Light and Darkness agreed to it though not all of the forces of Darkness accepted this and it took a final battle to achieve it. We were those two warriors Angelus. We fought alongside each other for our dream - don't worry I can't remember these events either. 

All I have gathered is that for the Light to live and the worlds to flourish you challenged as the Gatekeeper another; we don't know who, and defeated them in combat."

Gennai paused.

"He was an extremely powerful being. Enriched by evil and the forces of Darkness, it took all you had and more - you had to sacrifice yourself to do it."

"I died???"

"Yes you died - or so it was believed anyway, You travelled to the higher plane of existence and remained there for some 720 years roughly. It was at that time you travelled back to our plane of existence and to old Japan, there you journeyed to Kyoto and hired two woodworkers to construct a ship for you. The ship served no purpose, but the woodworkers had to take their families to a place called Odaiba, sound familiar?"

"Who were they?"

"They were the ancestors of those who would give birth to the Toei Animation company. You laid down the structure of what was to come."

Gennai shuffled uncomfortably, and beckoned ArchangelUK to follow him further into the temple. The structure was the same one used by Devimon all those years ago to attack the DigiDestined and other digimon of the then File Island. Angelus shivered not from the cold but from the feeling of evil this place still seamed to posses, yet there was something else close by. Something warming and seemingly good.

"After this point," Gennai continued, "You disappeared again. I'm not sure what happens next but we do know you went on to fight the digimon Arnakmon. She was a digimon unlike any other, able to warp the very fabric of our world. You defeated her but it appears you lost all your powers and memories in the process. The battle even revoked your demigod immortality and made you fully mortal, reverting you to an age of little more than three Earth years old. This was about fifteen years ago."

Angelus swallowed, it scared him all this new information, it was all so much to process. He had been a God, he had died...wait a minute...

"If I was immortal at the time how could I die in that battle."

"You wield the weapon of a God as did your opponent. A weapon wielded by a God or forged by a God can naturally kill a God."

Angelus swallowed again, so many questions, so many answers and yet the one overriding enigma still remained.

"Then who am I...really?"

"You are Angelus, Warrior of the Light. You are the Gatekeeper, able to sense other worlds and in some cases open gates to those that are not locked. You wield the sword of the Gatekeeper a mystic weapon which in your hands can best even the mightiest of Gods and slay the strongest of men. Together you can create a gate to any world or dimension that you can sense - it is an intense process but you seam to have rediscovered how it is done."

"You said that I could open any doors that weren't locked."

"That's correct."

"So if I'm that Gatekeeper that suggest there is a Keymaster." Gennai blinked not quite sure of what AAUK had said. "Or have I just watched Ghostbusters too many times?"

"Keymaster... There is something very important about that. I'll have to ask Azulongmon again, but there is more that I must show you - you must understand.

The old prophecy goes on to mention four harbingers, the messengers of evil. They who were once divided shall be united and under the command of one who is a true deciple of Darkness shall they invade the three true worlds."

"That'll be Devimon, Daemon, Dragomon and Piedmon then."

"Fire shall rain from the skies, the oceans will boil and when and if the harbingers are all defeated a supreme evil will stand in the way. A final battle shall decide once and for all the fate of the three.

If victorious, the Gatekeeper and the Traveller- "

"Traveller?"

"I believe this to be young Ben. If victorious, the Gatekeeper and the Traveller shall end the Unification and with two keys of gold they will begin the rebirth and all shall be free to live in peace. Or so it is written."

"What gold keys?"

"It's written in this book here." Gennai led Angelus into a room, he could immediately tell that the sense of goodly power was emanating from the gold volume. "This is the Tome of Hope. There is also a Tome of Light which is locked up in Azulongmon's temple, after the DigiDestined defeated Devimon it was decided the Tome should rest here so he could never come back to this place again."

"Which made him go to that dark pool of his."

"Yes." Gennai opened the Tome and the room was engulfed in a golden glow, "The chosen pair shall look their deaths straight in the eye, the deaths of their friends and of their loved ones. Yet the Gatekeeper will choose his own Fate and the Traveller shall produce a Miracle and the Rebirth will bring Hope and Light forever and eternally."

Angelus leaned in to see the book, "Why are 'Fate' and 'Miracle' capitalised? I mean I can understand Hope and Light being so, but those...I..." Angelus trailed off, realisation dawning on him.

"What is it?"

"Fate and Miracles - the Golden Digieggs!"

"The two keys of gold!"

"Yes. All we have to do is get the key of Fate off of Willis and we'll be okay.... Urgh Willis." Angelus shuddered.

"You see we make progress already." Gennai beamed, Angelus groaned he had no real wish to meet the American loner and his marvellous tone deaf digitwins.

"Sounds like a full time job anyway."

Gennai bit his lip and said nothing, he instead closed the Tome of Hope and put the book back down on it's plinth. He led Angelus out of the temple.

"What I am about to show you now I found through meditation." Angelus frowned,

"You don't want me to do any of that Yoga nonsense do you?" He asked, Gennai shook his head.

"It revealed ancient memories to me that were lost like yours are to you. Not even the four guardians have seen this..."

"Okay. Let's go." And they disappeared into nothingness.

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Tune in next time for more Digimon - Reality Redux!_

DC: So I should write my chapter from when?  
AAUK: From when you land wherever, the rest of us will have followed you.  
DC: Oh right.

  
AAUK: It'll put you in good steps for your next chapter number 13.  
DC: ...  


**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	13. Identity Crisis Pt III: The Three :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon which is a blooming shame guv'nor, as we'd be rich as kings. Now who want's a shoe shine? Only a shilling! Get ya shoeshine 'ere guv'nor!_

DC: Archangel?  
AAUK: Yeah?  
DC: Why are you hiding under your bed?  
AAUK: It's them! The stalkers!  
DC: Not your stalkers again surely....  
AAUK: First eunc, then Wolfie, they just keep coming! Now Phire Phoenix is sitting on the tree in the garden next door trying to to take photo's of me in the shower! She even wants to take on Wolfie in a fight for the best view.  
DC: ......!?!??!  
AAUK: She scares the hell out of me, read the reviews man!   
DC: *reads* Oh I see... HEY! Why aren't I being stalked! No fair! *grumbles*

**Chapter 13: Identity Crisis Pt III - The Three **

Devimon paced up and down, his long spindly limbs moving witha quiet fluency. "What do you propose we do Piedmon? After all, if you remember the whole point in us being here is that the gate is sealed."   
"Yes." Daemon muttered, "By the boy Ichijoji."

"Along with the strength of the others." Dragomon noted.

"Pah." Piedmon sneered, "A mere child. The seals of the DigiDestined can still be unlocked, no, smashed by the Keymaster. They couldn't stop the Gatekeeper from plumetting into this world if you remember, indeed it is possible for someone to travel from their world to here just not for them to return. That is why I asked you to move the gate Daemon."

"A waste of time and energy that was. We should have let him fall to his death, we would have won."

"We didn't know he was the Gatekeeper then and he wouldn't have escaped if someone had kept their big mouth shut about the digivice." Dragomon said, glaring at the demon who growled in reply.

"Enough." Piedmon demanded, "We will go to the Real Earth, there we will stay and cause terror. It will divide the 'chosen fourteen' as it is now and hold them off long enough to allow the Unification to happen."

"I go back to your previous point, the gate is only open one way." Devimon said.

"And I go back to my previous point that the Keymaster can smash those seals, I know what is going on my friends. The gate will be unlocked very soon indeed and then victory!"

"How do you propose to delay the Traveller and Gatekeeper? They will hunt you down as you carry the golden digiegg of fate." Dragomon bubbled, a Scubamon scurrying up to present him with a large offering of food.

"That I doubt they know yet, but I have a plan..."

"What?"

"If they are so fond of their planet I will take one of their own as a hostage. I think I know exactly where to go for one as well."

"Where?" Daemon demanded.

"Oh my dear Daemon, that would be telling." Piedmon's eyes sparkled with mischief. "That would be telling."

* * *

All around them was a navy blue mist that seemed to seap round them and even through them. Angelus had a feeling of being very high up, though he couldn't see how he had come to be this high. To tell the truth Angelus couldn't see much past this mist, barely even able to make out the robed form of Gennai. From out of the mist suddenly came a bright light, strong enough for him to think he had surely been blinded by the intensity of it. Thankfully this was not the case as his eyes seamed to adjust after only a few moments, what he then saw took his breath away. Below him was a huge globe of what looked like lines of computer code, of weird symbols of a language unknown to even the Earth's leading linguists. This ball appeared tp be alive, it gave off a feeling of life - not that that made much sense of course.

"What - What is all this."

"What you see is the forces behind the digital world." Gennai said, small lines of code flitted past him joining the mass of data and in turn some fled the grouping.

"It looks a bit like The Matrix." Angelus said in awe, as the code changed colour rapidly moving through the spectrum eventually settling on a summer yellow. 

"In a weird way it is." 

"Whoa." The irony of the response was lost as the colours changed again to a vibrant purple then a blue, making it hard to see in the mist.

"These are the Digital Matrixies; the inputs and outputs that give birth to Digimon." Gennai 'caught' a piece of the code as it went past and he handed it to Angelus who tentatively took it off of him. The chosen one examined it amazed at what he was holding, the symbols on this code were familiar to him.

"Wait, I know this, these symbols are what appear when the digimon digivolve. On the digivices, on their weapons like Angemon's staff, Omnimon's sword, the Gate of Destiny even Silphimon's visor."

Gennai said nothing, the mass of data swirled and for a second a chink appeared in the coding. Angelus looked down closer at the globe of coding and saw sea beneath it, even the briefest glimpse of land. It wasn't Earth. It was the Digital World.

"This...these...are the powers that originally chose the DigiDestined?"

"Yes." AAUK dropped the code and it sped off to wherever it was going. He looked around for the first time, seeing three more balls similar to the first.

"What's that over there?" He pointed towards a globe which had a rainbow coloured aura around it which shimmered in the middle distance. 

"The powers that control the DigiDestined's world."

"And there?" This one was furthest away but appeared to have a pure white aura around it, it was noticibly the most active out of the rest.

"The powers that control your world."

"That's God???"

"If that is your perception then that is what it is."

"Double whoa."

"Indeed." Gennai gestured towards something on the left hand side, another globe.

Angelus turned his head towards the fourth one. "What is that place?" It was smaller than the other three, but none the less the aura around it seemed strongest. It was a dark mix of both the code and the misty aura of the others.

"The Dark World." Angelus narrowed his eyes, Gennai did too. "Some time after the three worlds were created the Darkness realised that the humans, the precursors to the Digimon and even those on the Pseudo-Earth - the home of the chosen children. Despite the different timescales, the Digital World moving fastest, then the Pseudo-Earth and Real Earth with almost equal time. Real time and Pseudo Real Time.(*) They were all choosing the path of Light over that of Darkness.

The Darkness negated on it's agreement and in a bid to create disorder in the Three created the Dark World. It's influence isn't as noticible on your world being furthest from it, however the Digital World is a very different matter. The Dark World is the last bastion of evil and Darkness, no matter what happens the amount of Darkness it holds there will always hold influence. This brings me to my next point; the Darkness has begun to grow in power and influence. What I am showing you is the three as they were, now we will see the three now."

Gennai clicked his fingers and everything to speed up to little more than a blur. Angelus closed his eyes as a servere nausia almost overcame him, when he opened them again everything was movng in real time again. The globes weren't in the same positions, however they were practically ALL in the same position - they were so close to each other they could almost touch.

"The Unification."

The auras that had surrounded them were merging, clashing due to the close proximity. Flares of light and colour were erupting from the three worlds and while the auras sparked against each other the Dark World floated off to the side seemingly growing closer. It wasn't moving though, it was expanding. Expanding towards the three true worlds.

"The Darkness grows stronger?" ArchangelUK asked the robed individual who nodded grimly.

"If it is not stopped the three true world will virtually destroy each other and then be consumed by the Dark World. The Darkness would be all incompassing, all powerful and unchallenged."

"I won't let that happen, many people will die."

"Everything. Everything will die."

"I'll stop it. Me, Ben, Sora, TK, Kari, the Digimon, the rest of the chosen kids...we'll stop it. The Darkness will not win."

"Oh I know you will fight it. It is in your nature - like hope is to TK's and courage is to Tai's." There was a hiatus that seamed to last forever.

"What am I then Gennai? Tell me."

"It will be hard for you to accept."

"It already has been, so there's no point in trying to soften it all."

"You are all of this." He swept his hand round so that it indicated everything around him.

"All of this?"

"And yet none of it at all."

"So I'm not flesh and blood. I'm not digital. I'm not...both and yet not...neither. So what am I?"

"What we are brother, is what we have always been. Eternal."

* * *

"The Harbingers are locked in the Dark Ocean Yamashita." The voice echoed in the man's head.

"Should I release them?"

"Keymaster, that is your decision, but I would say the four would delay or weaken the Gatekeeper and his friend the Traveller. It would be easy for you to return the DigiDestined and the Digimon to their respective worlds. You could then lock the gates."

"Then even the Gatekeeper would be able to contact them."

"Precisely."

"Then it would all be mine again."

"Free the Harbingers, they will do the work for us - for you."

"Who are you?"

"I, my lord Keymaster, am whoever you want me to be."

"Dark World - heed my call! Unlock the barriers which stop your march. Harbingers, your time... is now."

_To Be Continued...._

(*) 'Pseudo Real Time' is an actual computer term refering to a state of time that functions at the exact same speed as actual time but is not real time.

* * *

_What is Piedmon's plan? Who is the voice communicating with Yamashita and is he truly the Keymaster? Find out next on Digimon - Reality Redux!_

AAUK: *From under bed* Have they gone yet?  
DC: Um, not exactly.

[Outside]

Phire Phoenix: Gaggh, I can't see anything with these binoculars.  
Wolfie: Pah, useless.  
EUNC: See anything Wolfie?  
Wolfie: Not yet. What's Silver Dreamer doing here? And Kari's Kat???  
Kari's Kat: Oh, we're honouroury members. *winks*  
Wolfie: I see.... What are you doing Silver Dreamer?  
Silver Dreamer: Me, oh I'm hacking into NASA. I'm taking control over the Hubble Space Telescope, that should help us out a bit.  
EUNC: Niiiiiiiice!

DC: ....  
AAUK: .... *Groans*

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	14. Identity Crisis Pt IV: Enter The Gatekee...

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We did own Digimon but part exchanged it for a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare.  
Alas, poor Taichi... I knew him well Horatio... _

DC: Have you finished yet?  
AAUK: Almost.  
DC: PLEASE tell me this is the last part of this "Identity Crisis" substory.  
AAUK: Yes. This is the last part and it's a short(er) one.  
DC: Alright!  
AAUK: *Rolls eyes*

**Chapter 14: Identity Crisis Pt IV - Enter The Gatekeeper**

The sword flashed downwards neatly seperating flesh from bone, with an audible grunt Angelus removed the sword from the wood and meat it was still buried in. Gennai groaned.

"When I said you could carve the Turkey I meant CARVE not slice through it and my table."

"Sorry bro, you can claim it on the insurance."

"Most insurance doesn't cover 'Act of Demi-God' Angelus."

"Huh, excuuuuuse me!"

They ate in relative silence after that, it had been the best part of a fortnight and Angelus had been training religiously. Not that he intended to be a monk, just that he was training all day every day more or less. He had been learning too, the secrets of the Three known worlds and of the Unification.

"There was a Unification once before." Gennai suddenly and unexpectantly announced. Angelus coughed and some of his lemonade went up his nose.

"Whoa, timeout! This is new!"

"Before everything else, (more or less just before the Three were created) we realised we had made a mistake. When we set out the layout of the Three we hadn't thought of how they would act against each other."

"What do you mean 'set out'? I died after the Three were created."

"Yes, it was a sort of scale model in a way, but the three draft worlds still held life and much, much power. They began to be attracted to each other. You and young woman called Jasmine stopped this mini-unification very quickly before it could get out of hand. However it succeeded in convincing the dissident powers of Darkness that the idea of the Three would not work."

"And then there was the battle." Angelus summised,

"And...then there was the battle." Gennai repeated, "We don't know what happened to Jasmine. She died I suppose." He shrugged and got up from his crouching position.

Angelus shook his head at Gennai's bluntess and at his newly aquired brothers complete lack of empathy. She just died - _he supposed._

"Is there anything else I need to know about? You know anything really major that will cost me my life if I don't know?"

"No, nothing of importance."

"Good."

"Now, back to the training."

And so it continued like this, Archangel learning all that there was to learn, or rather all that Gennai would teach him. Whenever something peaked Angelus' interest Gennai would immediately gloss over it saying it was -

"For a time yet to come my brother."

Angelus gritted his teeth, it was begining to come his catchphrase.

_Oh well, at least I know what to get him for his birthday. A global trademark and the website url www.foratimeyettocomemybrother.com!_

Training rapidly moved onto combat. Gennai and Angelus sparred for many hours at a time, swords striking together producing a large variety of sparks. 

Gennai's thoughts were a frantic mix, here he was squaring off against his brother. Would he have to do it again under much different circumstances? Just as their master the Light had hinted at.

_'You will never again be a Warrior of Light, but there may come a time where there can be only one remaining.'_

Gennai got faster, his blade as old and powerful and Angelus' sword was a blur as he pushed his pupil backwards towards the edge of the cliff.

"Hey Gennai, you wanna calm it a bit?" The normally cerene man did not answer only growling low in his throat, the blade smashed harder against the other. Angelus was doing his best not to lose his grip as Gennai continued to reign slice after slice down upon him. He was genuinely trying his hardest to avoid the sword his brother weilded.

"Aggh!" Angelus yelped as the other sword just knicked his side, glancing and barely enough to break the skin but Gennai didn't care. He kept on going, the thought reverberating through his concious thought.

_'There can be only one remaining.'_

Angelus was close to the cliff edge now - very close.

_'Only one.'_

Gennai screamed a war cry and launched himself at his brother sword first. Without really knowing it Angelus instantly crouched low, swinging the sword up in an arc and the next thing he knew Gennai's sword was flying down into canyon below. His brother was in a heap on the floor, a swelling bruise already forming under his eye.

"What the hell was that about?!" Angelus demanded dragging Gennai to his feet.

"I...had to make sure you were ready."

"For what?"

"For what will undoubtably come a battle against Darkness once more."

"There was no need to try and kill me!"

"Well, what's done is done." Gennai walked back to the little camp a decidedly disgruntled Angelus in pursuit.

"So what now?"

"You are needed in the real world. Go and rejoin the DigiDestined I have taught you all that you need to know." Angelus went to protest but sighed and held up his hands in defeat, he concentrated and a blue archway appeared infront of him. He took one last glance at his brother and stepped through to the other side...

* * *

"And that brings us up to date." Angelus finished sipping his annoyingly luke warm moccha and frowning at it's lack of consistancy.

"That was a very nice story, thanks for sharing." Mimi said smiling but then her face went decidedly red. "BUT WHAT ABOUT BEN!??!"

Everyone cringed at the volume, Mimi was in tears again. Angelus got up out of his seat and told the others he was strong enough now to try again. They walked over to the place where the Gate of Destiny had appeared and disappeared, Angelus raised his hand and again closed his eyes. A few seconds later a whirling gold portal of light appeared and opened up revealing a bright white centre of oblivion. Oddly Angelus appeared able to open the G.O.D without the sucking vortex that usually accompanied it. This Gate of Destiny appeared, well, dormant.

"Something's wrong." Angelus announced.

"Oh what now?" Tai whined,

"He's not there."

"He's not there? What do you mean he's not there!?"

"Calm yourself Mimi, please!" Mimi - looking like a ferocious pink panther - was being held back by Joe.

"Er, Angelus? I think...I can sense him." Sora's voice suddenly announced.

"Sense him?" Angelus turned around to face the Keeper of Love and instead found himself looking at Izzy. Not such a bad thing, but then again as Izzy was standing directly behind the chestnut haired girl and Angelus could see through Sora then that was a bad thing.

Sora was disappearing.

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Want more? Tune in soon for more Digimon - Reality Redux!_

DC: That was...er...  
AAUK: Short. The shortest chapter I've ever done infact.  
DC: Er....why?  
AAUK: Because it was getting annoying and I wanna see your chapter.  
DC: *Hands it over*  
AAUK: Ooooh. *hides it behind his back* MWAH HA HA HA HA! No peeking you lot!

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	15. Outside The Walls We Know :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

DC: *dressed as a bouncer* Sorry ladies. But ArchangelUK isn't receiving visitors at the moment.   
Phire Phoenix: *slips DC a five pound note*   
DC: Ah, I see you have the latest entry pass. Feel free to go right on in! *opens the door, and the stalkers rush in*   
AAUK: *offstage* AAAGGGGHHHHH!   
DC: Ah..Suffice to say I don't own Digimon, and nor does Wingy. I do, however, own these bribes. Nowwhich game should I buy? 

**Chapter 15: Outside The Walls We Know**

Ben glanced around, taking off the sunglasses that hadn't been on his head a moment ago. One moment he had been being pulled apart by the awesome force of the Gate, and the next, for no apparently discernible reason, he appeared to be standing on a beach on a Mediterranean island. He glanced down. At least his clothes matchedThe blue jeans and shirt he had been wearing had been replaced with what could only be described as fashionable beachwear. If your idea of fashionable beachwear ran aground somewhere in the seventies. A pair of baggy shorts, sandals, and a bright short sleeved Hawaiian shirt. In his other hand was half a coconut shell with a straw and a drink inside it. He sipped experimentally, shuddered, and flung it into the ocean. 

  
Where am I? he wondered. And why am I talking to myself? He dug around in his pocket. Good. His DX was still there. He brought it out and had a look at the screen. He wasn't back in his reality, and he wasn't in the Digital world, or the world of the Digidestined, nor the dark ocean. A message popped up on the screen of the DX. Location unknown. Searching.' Ben put it back in his pocket while he waited, then looked at his watch. Which had stopped working. Or, more precisely, not that he was to know, was trying to show all the different times at once and failing totally. When he looked up again, a signpost had appeared.

  
THIS WAY!' it announced, coupled with an arrow. Ben shrugged, and set off. Maybe it would lead him to Myotismon. Maybe not. But it wasn't as if he could do anything else 

* * *

Piedmon smiled silently to himself. It was almost time. They were ready. As soon as Angelus opened up the portal to try and find the other Chosen One, they would emerge somewhere else, and Angelus would be too weak to stop them from opening their own portal. And then they would have the real world. 

* * *

The DX blipped, and Ben glanced down. The message on it's screen was only one word long. Home.'   
Having followed a procession of signs, he now found himself at the other end of the island, by a villa with a swimming pool. This was way too surreal. It was like something from the Digi twilight zone. He heard someone coming around from the other side of the villa, and tensed himself, ready to fight. Or, failing that, ready to run. It was Myotismon.

Myotismon! There you are! Ben blinked, and tried very, very hard not to laugh at his Digimon partner. Because Myotismon was dressed exactly the same as he was. Bermuda shorts, Hawaiian shirt, sandals and sunglasses. It appeared that Myotismon was having the same reaction to Ben's own outfit. They grinned at each other, embarrassed. At that point, a door Ben hadn't noticed slid open, and a voice said.

So. You're here. Ben and his partner turned in unison to look at the man that had appeared in the door. He looked a lot like Ben, but thirty years older. And where Ben's eyes were green-through-to-blue, this man's eyes were almost emerald, and where Ben's hair was dark, his was light brown Come in. So they did. My name is Aeth, and you would be Ben, yes? 

Hey, how did you know my-

Then come in, weary Traveller, and I shall explain all. He wasn't sure, but Ben thought that Aeth had put an odd emphasis on traveller' just then.

I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Aeth smiled knowingly.   


You bet I do, but let's start with the obvious ones. Where are we, and why are we here anyway?   


This place is called Entherial. It is a dimension unknown of by even the Gatekeeper and his kind. And you are here because you are aTraveller.   


Travell-wha? Could you explain that?   


As Gennai told you, one of your parents came from your reality, and one came from the Digidestined side. Out of interest, do you know which one? Ben shook his head.   


Ah. Gennai must not have got that far. Very well then. I'll just pick up where he left of, shall I? Your father was a young man with no particular aim in mind. One day he was walking down the road when there was a blazing flash of light, and when he could see clearly again, your mother was standing there. She had just succeeded, alongside the Gatekeeper, in stopping the unification, and now she, who was born on your side of the line, was stuck in the Digital world with no way to return home. Eventually, she married your father and took on his name, and they both swore that no-one would ever know the truth about where she came from. Eventually, you and Sora were born. Twins, I believe. Your father, while he loved your mother dearly, could see that she missed her own reality, and he devoted his life to myth and legend, to try and find a way for her to return home. He continued, walking out onto the patio. Care for a rest? Okay. Now, I expect you are wondering what that has to do with your being here. Ben nodded, sitting down on one of the sun-beds. He was exhausted. 

It isn't common knowledge, but gaps exist between the worlds. Not Gates, not under the control of the Gatekeeper, but holes. Sometimes people wander through by accident and can't find the way back, and others like your mother are sent through by the powers that be. Either way, the children of those unfortunates lost in another world belong to no single dimension. Children like these are born wanderers, never content with where they are, always ready to see what is over the horizon. Does that sound familiar?   
Ben nodded slightly. He hadn't relaxed since he was had been told he was destined to save worlds, and for some reason, under this alien sun, he could feel all his stress and worry flowing out of himhe lay back on the recliner.

  
I knew it would. We're all the same. Smiled Aeth. People like us can see these holes in space, holes not even Gods can see. And we can survive inside the Gate of Destiny, and the inside is a vortex. Not simply another dimension, but a place of absolute negativity. That's why we created Entherial here- because only we could get to it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean 

Exactly what it sounds like. The very first Traveller accidentally found his way into the inside of the Gate, and he created this place, which he named Entherial. In his native tongue, it meant Place of Hope and Light'. At some point in their lives, every Traveller ends up here. 

So I'm not the only Traveller? What about Sora, and Wingy?

Sora, yes. She is also a Traveller, although she does not yet know it. I do not know this   


You know.the other chosen one?   


Ah, Angelus. Angelus is something else entirely. And Aeth told them of the prophecy of the Gatekeeper and the Traveller.   


So why am I mentioned? What help could a demi-god possibly need from me?   


There is something different about you, Ben. Different from us other Travellers. I'm not sure what, but it will be invaluable in the Unification.   


Could it be Myotismon? Aeth shook his head.   


No. Other Travellers have become partners of the Digimon. It isn't that, we do know that much. Now, rest and relax. You've had a lot of stress lately, and whatever is coming will need you as well as you can be. So Ben and Myotismon spent what appeared to be several days at Aeth's house in Entherial, unwinding and talking.   


Come on, admit it. The drinking blood thing isn't vital. You must have spent years not doing it in the Digiworld.   


It's kind of expected of me.   


Just break the habit. Here, try some Hotdog.

  
On what would be their final day (For now) in Entherial, the three of them were once again out in the back garden sunbathing.   
Can I ask you a couple of questions?

  


Why did our outfits change like that when we got here?   


Well, you're a Traveller. I don't know how it works, but I think it's a kind of camouflage. What we wear automatically changes so that we don't stand out in a crowd. As for Myoti, I guess that it's because he's your partner, and roughly the right shape.   


Okay. Second question: How long have we been here, in Digidestined world time? Aeth looked at his watch.   


Twenty minutes.   


Wow. I'm going to get something from the fridge, okay? Ben looked up from his fridge-based rummaging when he heard someone knock on the door.

I'll get it. He called out through to the still sunbathing two. He threw a tee-shirt over his shoulders, and walked over to the door.   
he exclaimed. Angelus, shading himself with his still-there wings, grinned back.

So this is where you are. Suddenly, there was a blur of movement from behind the demi-god, and Ben discovered that he had acquired a second pair of arms. They were Mimi's, and they were locked around his chest as if she was trying to blow his head off his shoulders like a champagne cork.

Don't you ever do that to me again! she sobbed. Ben looked up, more than a bit bewildered, but not exactly unhappy.

How did you guys get here? I didn't think you could. Angelus made a face.

We almost didn't, until Sora started to disappear. I followed her, and everyone else followed us. I couldn't even sense this place-hell, I can't sense it now, and I'm standing in it. 

Later on, after Ben had introduced them to Aeth, and he had filled them in on what he knew, everyone was sitting around the villa, Aeth took Ben aside. I don't know what is going to happen to you. I only know what I can gain from the prophecies. But whatever it is that lies ahead of you, you will need assistance. He lead Ben into a bit of the Villa that hadn't been there the day before, and opened a wardrobe. From here, he removed an inscribed oak staff, roughly six feet tall, capped with an golden orb that seemed to shiver and change all the time. 

This is the staff of the first Traveller. With this, you can open your own Gate of Destiny to defend yourself and those you love. You're going to have a fairly exiting life, Ben. They shook hands warmly.   
Trust me, things are never going to be the same for you once you get married he said with a wicked little grin as their party left for the nearest exit out of Entherial. 

Married? I bet Spider-man never has days like this 

* * *

Piedmon stepped lightly out of the portal that had been opened for them. No-one seemed to notice them. They didn't even notice Dragomon, which took some doing. He smiled cruelly, and drew one of his swords.   
It's showtime.   


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Will Piedmon cause havok in the Real World? Where have the Harbingers landed? Will Manchester United win the FA Premiership title next year? Will Skippy get help to save little Timmy from the big well? Tune in next time for more uninteresting questions on this end chapter-line of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

**Kari's Angels - http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	16. Operation: Kiwi :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_I do not own Digimon, neither do I know the whereabout of Mr DigiCowboy who seems to have vanished without trace.  
*Muffled screams can be heard from a large bag next to AAUK, he picks up a steel chair and hits the bag a couple of times*  
If anyone has seen DC, kindly telephone the Kari's Angels hotline on 07545-DEE-CEE._

**Chapter 16 - Operation : Kiwi**

The streets were oddly deserted around where Dragomon and Piedmon had emmerged, those people who were around seemed not to notice them. Piedmon had to find that amusing.

They pair had materialised near a beach in the real world for that was where the portal had dropped them. It was very hot and sunny, Dragomon wiped his brow with a large claw, he did not enjoy being in such heat the Dark Ocean was cold compared to this place.

"Where are we Piedmon? My tentacles are starting to droop."

"A complaint of all digimon your age..." The clown muttrered under his breath, then laughed at his own joke. "We are here for one purpose only, and that is to pay someone a visit."

"Do I know them?"

"No."

"Oh, I won't bother with the box of chocolates then."

"You know Dragomon sometimes I worry about you. We are here to take a hostage, or rather I am here to take a hostage. After I have done so you are free to cause whatever havok you wish to this miserable little country."

"Which brings me back to my first point - where are we?"

  
Wolfie hid behind the steel dustbin, the Tyranomon sniffed at the rim of the adjacent one and growled in satisfaction - it had found the girl's scent. She was close by.

The Tyranomon stalked forward sniffing the air, all the time growling deep in it's throat. It was hungry after all that running, but it remembered Elecmon telling it once that exercise helps build up an appetite. After chasing the girl all this way it was very hungry and he was confident it's prey would not slip through it's big sharp claws again.

_(Clank)_

A noise? The Tyranomon whirled around to face the bin behind him...

_**CLANG!**_

Wolfie hit the Digimon between the eyes with the dustbin lid, for a few seconds it stood dazed before collapsing to the ground unconcious.

"Allright! One up to the Zealander!" She cried danced a jig over the fallen monster then made to run out of the alley. Suddenly a slow handclap started behind her, she slowly turned around to see a harlequin costumed man float out of the shadows.

"A captivating display my dear, oh, captivating - how ironic..."

"Piedmon?" The phantom clown did a small, yet elaborate bow to her.

"Ah the little lady knows my name, how quaint." He grinned displaying his ridiculously pure white teeth.

"I'd hardly call it quaint, what do you want."

"The pleasure of your company for a little performance."

"I think not, my mother always said never accept theatre tickets from evil floaty digimon." 

"She did?" Dragomon said suddenly appearing over the wall, "Well let me rephrase Piedmon's question. You are coming with us..." Piedmon drew one of his swords, "...And it's not a request."

Wolfie raised the dustbin lid, "Just you try it buster!"

"Oh I will, I want you for a specific purpose." Piedmon's feet finally decended to the floor and he took two paces towards the writer.

"That don't sound good... you keep your gloved mits to yourself!" Wolfie threw the trash can lid down - and grabbed the trash can instead lifting it above her head ready to throw at the Digimon. Piedmon rubbed his eyes, his voice betraying a hint of impatience.

"To cut a long story short your friends ArchangelUK and Digicowboy are two destined warriors, who's job it is to prevent the Digital World and this world being destroyed as they are mergering." Wolfie raised an eyebrow, "Hence your Tyranomon friend there." The second eyebrow joined the first and they clung onto each other in confusion.

"ArchangelUK?"

"Yes."

"And DC?"

"Yes."

"Are destined to save the world?"

"You know I can only say yes so many times before it gets truly boring." Piedmon said with a hand on his hip, even Dragomon was getting tired of this now.

"You must be joking!" Wolfie burst into laughter and dropped the metal dustbin, she clutched her sides. Piedmon's eyes grew red in annoyance.

"That does it, I am a very busy mon you know. I don't have time for a chit-chat we are needed back in the Dark Ocean. Dragomon - annihilate this pathetic city." Wolfie's laughter instantly stopped,

"Hey, now wait a minute." 

"You and I are going for a little trip..." Piedmon waved a hand and the empty dustbin levitated into the air, scooped Wolfie up then the lid jammed down ontop of it.

"Lemmie go you lycra clad dumbarse! Fight fair!" Piedmon waved a finger and the bin became coated in chains, as an afterthought he magiced a gag onto the New Zealander as well. "MMMMPPPPH!!!! MMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

"Are you sure the Gatekeeper will try to rescue her?" Dragomon asked, throwing a car into a nearby bakery and sending tyres and bread rolls flying in multiple directions.

"I'm not as sure as I was five minutes ago no..." Piedmon said, rubbing his forehead.

* * *

"Thanks Aeth, it's been cooly." DC shook the ancient man's hand, and followed AAUK and the others out of the Traveller Dimension. As they exited Aeth grinned mischeviously, a very exciting life indeed - then he and the whole of Entherial disappeared.

Jun was the first to find themselves back in the real world, falling as she did from about 6ft onto hard tarmac. The others followed with equally bad landing prowess, only the flying Digimon (Patamon, Biyomon and Hawkmon) managed to avoid a bruising. Gatomon landed ontop of TK so she was alright, DC landed ontop of ArchangelUK which didn't really help either of them that much. Izzy groaned from somewhere next to Cody, "Uhhh, if we're gonna keep doing that we've gotta learn how to land. Otherwise we won't be able to stop the Unification for all the bruising."

"Remind me to book into a flight school to learn how to use these things." Angelus groaned shaking his wings loose. "Damnit I lost a feather!" Gatomon, Biyomon, Patamon and Hawkmon nodded in understanding, everyone else just looked blankly.

"Right." DC finally managed, "Shouldn't we be looking for the Toei building to stop this Unification razmatazz?"

"Yeah, let's go." A groggy Tai said, leading the way in the direction he hoped would take them towards the headquarters. They followed walking through surprisingly empty streets, infact - they were completely empty.

"Where'd all the people go?" Mimi asked, walking alongside the Traveller. "It's still midday."

"Maybe they're having a siesta." Yolei said grinning, TK groaned.

"That's Spain Yolei - this is Japan, remember? Where we live?"

"You do have a point Mimi." Kari said and made her way over to a TV shop, a series of news broadcasts was playing but only one had the volume audible.

"What does it say?" DC asked,

"You don't comprehend it?" Izzy asked amazed.

"Well as it's in Japanese..." Angelus rolled his eyes, Patamon and Gatomon sprung up onto his shoulders to get a better view. TK and Kari blinked in surprise.

"I guess the leather is more comfortable." TK said, taking off his hat to see if there was something wrong with it. Izzy joined the two chosen ones at the front of the group as a Japanese man yammered away at breakneck speed.

"I'll translate - 'Millions of people are fleeing for their lives as a trio of large monsters wreak havok and destuction. This creature is currently terrorising Eastern Tokyo.'" A picture flashed up of Devimon destroying a large neon sign, TK made a fist. Izzy continued " 'This monster is causing terrible destruction in Northern Colarado and this one is causing major destruction in central New Zealand. The Governments described their current situation as 'unfortunate'.' " Dragomon was in New Zealand and Daemon was in Colorado.

"Oh brilliant(!)" Angelus muttered, "Can it get any worse?" A beeping noise from his DX signalled that things weren't about to get better.

"It's an email from Piedmon." He said astonished,

"Piedmon?"

_Gatekeeper_

_If you want to see your furry human friend again bring the Digiegg of Miracles to the Dark Ocean. Do not bring your other 'real world' friend with you any deviation will result in her terminaion._

_Yours Sincerely,  
Piedmon._

_(Available for parties and weddings)_

"Furry friend?" A puzzled Joe mumbled,

"WOLFIE!" The chosen ones chorused, Angelus growled.

"Oh great. First I'm a resurrected Demi-God who's life as he knows it is a lie, then my friend turns out to the english version of Sam Beckett and now cartoon monsters are threatening my planet!"

"Are you gonna go?" Sora asked appearing beside him.

"I have to don't I."

"Then I'm going with you."

"Me too." Chirruped Biyomon, Angelus grinned.

"Thanks, I might need a 'mon as backup."

"What about Devimon?" Digicowboy asked, fanning himself with his hat.

"Er...where's TK and Patamon?" Gatomon asked suddenly noticing she was Angelus's only 'passenger'.

"Oh no..." Matt muttered. "Don't tell me he's gone after him on his own?"

"Matt, you and Kari go after him." DC delegated, though as both of them were already in full flight after the bearer of hope this perhaps didn't need to be said. "I'll go and take care of Dragomon."

"Count me in." Tai smiled.

"Me and Davis will take care of Daemon."

"Great!" Davis said, "We'll try and track down Willis too, he has the other golden digiegg after all."

"And I have an old score to settle." Ken said, picking up Wormmon who nodded in agreement with his partner.

"So does TK." DC murmured turning to his friend, Angelus drew his sword twirled it around and resheathed it.

"And now so do I."

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Will Angelus rescue Wolfie? Will Wolfie rescue Angelus? Will Mimi find a shopping mall? Will Joe and Izzy escape the Loch Ness Monster? Where did my snowman go? Why is the sky blue? Will the Toei stock price rise by 3% per quarter? Tune in soon for the answers to these and many other questions in chapter seventeen - SEVENTEEN (How do they do it?) of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

Bag: MMMMMPPPPHHH!  
AAUK: Shut up! *puts down the steel chair and hits it with a steel banjo instead*  
DC: Hey! I'm back!  
AAUK: DC! Glad to see you, I was getting worried.  
DC: What's in the bag?  
AAUK: Stalkers.  
DC: Ohhhh. *picks up the steel chair and joins AAUK in hitting the bag* Hey, this is fun...   
AAUK: How do you like the ride so far Phire?  
Bag: *groans*

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	17. The Angel Of Death :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

AAUK: How could you let the stalkers go?   
DC: Well, I untied the string, and they did the rest themselves. Speaking of stalkers, by the way*the window breaks open, and a swat team leaps in*   
Agent one: We're from the R.S.P.S! (Royal Society for the Protection of Stalkers) ArchangelUK, you're coming with us!   
AAUK: WAIT! I HAVE TO DO THE DISCLAIMER!   
Agent two: Why? I'd have thought they knew by now.   
DC: The man has a point. 

**Chapter 17 - The Angel of Death**

Ben and the others stepped off the plane, piloted by one of Yolie's infinite number of Uncles. To avoid suspicion, they had hidden their partners in some rucksacks, save Myotismon, who had reverted to his bat-form and had taken up residence on the Traveller's Staff, which was, as Ben was beginning to discover, a real pain to keep inconspicuous. He'd just have to hope that the strange ability to blend in to crowds that all Travellers had (According to Aeth) would cover six feet of solid oak with a golden orb on the top. 

So do we know where Dragomon is now? he asked. Cody checked the screen of his D3, then consulted with a map he'd brought.   
It looks as if he's moving towards the sea. If he gets there, we may never find him. Ben and Joe shared a weary glance.  


Back on the plane. They chorused. 

* * *

Yamashita stood on top of the Toei building headquarters. 

I created you.' He thought, looking at the distant figure of Devimon. You're mine.' 

The voice talked to him almost all the time, now. Even when he slept it whispered to him of power. He didn't know it yet, but it was taking him over. Soon, Yamashita would be dead and the dark voice would walk the earth in his placeAnd that's bad. 

* * *

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, oh I do like to be beside the seeeaaaaaa! 

Ben lowered the binoculars. I don't know what I find the most disturbing. The fact that he's here at all, or the fact that he's singing. The others nodded in agreement. So how about we go and stop him?

Palmon digivolved toTogemon! Togemon digivolved to 

Gomamon digivolved to.Ikkakumon! Ikkakumon digivolved to 

Tentomon digivolved to.Kabuteriemon! Kabuteriemon digivolved to 

Armadillomon digivolved to 

It might not be enough. Said Myotismon quietly. I know his power. 

It had better be enough, because it's all we have. Besides, you're an ultimate, aren't you? 

Yes, but I'm a Virus type, and so is he. My attacks wouldn't hurt him a lot. 

First chance I get, I'll see if there's a way to reconfigure your data to another type. Besides, we've got this for backup. Ben replied, brandishing the staff. 

Are you sure it opens the Gate? 

I can't think of a reason for Aeth to have lied to me. 

* * *

Why did you lie to him, Aeth? About the staff? asked Gennai. The other man had slipped in for a visit unexpectedly. His sort had a habit of doing that, Gennai had noticed. You know as well as I do what that staff opens, and it isn't the Gate. Aeth shrugged. 

And you know the prophecy as well as I do, Gennai. He closed his eyes and began to quote from the Tome of Light. And the Traveller shall go forth, and it is his task and burden to free other worlds like this one. Pity on the Traveller, for he shall never return home.' If he knew what that staff was really going to do, he wouldn't have accepted it. I know I wouldn't have, and we're all very much alike. No Traveller wants to have his movement restricted, and that's exactly what's going to happen to him. He'll have to leave the Three, and he'll never be able to return. That's a horrible thing to do to a Traveller, but if it doesn't happen, the other worlds are doomed to slavery to the Prime world, as you were not long ago. Gennai nodded in acknowledgement of the fact, and his face grew wistful. 

What are they like, Aeth? The other worlds, I mean? 

Ah, yes. I always forget you can't move between them. They're amazing, Gennai. You wouldn't believe them, you truly wouldn't. Which reminds meThe Final War. That comes fairly soon, doesn't it? After Gennai affirmed that the Final War was indeed coming soon, Aeth nodded and got up. I'll see if I can get you some allies. No-one wants the powers of Darkness to win, whatever world they're from. Except the Dark Ocean, of course. 

* * *

The Tyrannomon stood up groggily, towering out of the alleyway once again. The ability to compress it's Data to hunt smaller prey was a useful trait, but it had underestimated that girl. It sniffed the wind. There were other Digimon here. It knew how to deal with other Digimon. Other Digimon didn't hit you with metal plate things. It liked other Digimon right now. It set off. 

* * *

Dragomon looked down the beach, plainly amused by the Digidestined running down the beach towards him. The sea began to boil as he summoned his Scubamon army, something that would really inconvenience Piedmon in a minute, but never mind that. Aquatic Digimon that he was, his powers were always at their height when he was near the sea. They didn't stand a chance.

  
TENTACLE CLAW! The attack connected with empty air as the Digidestined leapt out of the way with a speed that only comes when you know a giant Digimon wants to squash you into a pile of goo. 

FLOWER CANNON! 

VULCAN'S HAMMER! 

HORN BLASTER! 

TAIL HAMMER! 

CRIMSON LIGHTNING! Every single attack hit the Mega's chest dead centre. And absolutely nothing happened. Dragomon looked amused, if anything. 

Have you looked behind you lately? Ben risked a glance over his shoulder. It looked as if every grain of sand had turned into a Scubamon, with yet more reinforcements swimming to shore. _What would Obi-wan Kenobi do? _

TENTACLE CLAW! Okay, Obi-wan Kenobi would most likely have curled into a ball and screamed, likewise Napoleon and Alexander the Great. Gai Daigoji, however, from one of Ben's favourite anime shows, would have got back to his feet and attacked, by golly. And what was good enough for Gai Daigoji was good enough for him. As he ran forwards towards the immense Digimon, Myotismon flying next to him, he remembered that Gai Daigoji died in the third episode. Ah well, too late to worry about that.

* * *

TK, along with Kari and Matt, ran along the pavement towards Devimon. The part of TK's brain that was functioning rationally (Roughly a sixth) thought that it should be a much easier battle this time around. Now they had two Ultimates and a Mega on their side, when before they'd only really had Angemon. 

The second most surprising thing about that was that TK had heard the figure. The most surprising thing, however, was that he actually did stop. His legs locked solid: he just couldn't walk, and by the looks of it, the others couldn't either.

The figure stepped out into the daylight. It was a man in a suit. He didn't look remotely threatening or frightening in comparison to some of the others that TK had faced off against, but for some reason he was very much afraid of this stranger. Yamashita smiled, almost happily. Obedience is such a useful trait in worshipers. TK tried to object. Oh, that was interesting. He didn't seem to be able to talk, either. 

How stupid, to send both Light and Hope here, where I can so easily reach youwas I giving you too much credit? You seemed like such worthy opponents when we last fought Yamashita looked bewildered. Why had he said that? The Dark Voice overwhelmed his voice again. Now, you will do as I command you to do. You have no choice 

* * *

FLOWER CANNON! The Scubamon army was taking heavy causalities. Each attack the Digidestined released took out scores of Scubamon, but the Scubamon Army still had the power of superior numbers. Mimi cast a worried glance back to where Ben and Myotismon were trying to wound Dragomon. So far, they didn't seem to be doing much damage 

THIS IS FUTILE! CRIMSON LIGHTINING! Shouted Myotismon, the powerful attack deflecting harmlessly off the Mega. 

IF YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT! Ben yelled back, leaping over a thrashing tentacle. He stumbled slightly as he did so, and his DX fell from his pocket. As Ben stopped briefly to retrieve it, he thought. Well, why not?' he thought, and turned it onto the main screen. Here goes nothing.MYOTISMON! DIGIVOLVE! A beam of light shot out from the DX, striking Myotismon full on. 

Myotismon digivolve to.. Azaraelmon, the Angel of Death! His face was covered by a black hood that obscured his features. His clothes were jet black, and took the form of a robe. Two great black wings shot from his back , and in his hands he clutched a Scythe with a golden blade. Ben opened and shut his mouth a couple of times, and then managed to speak. 

Nice one . Azaraelmon lifted himself effortlessly into the air without even flapping his wings, and stopped in front of Dragomon's face. 

TENTACLE CLAW! The attack passed harmlessly through the chilling spectre, who in turn held both his arms out in front of him, palms in the air. What appeared between those hands was a map of space. The entire universe could be seen in that glow. The image blurred rapidly, moving down from the Universe, to the Earth, to the southern hemisphere, to New Zealand, to the beach they were currently fighting on, until Dragomon was looking at himself from above in the glowing sphere. And for the first time since he digivolved, Azaraelmon spoke. 

He said softly. Dragomon looked startled, and then began slowly to delete from the feet upwards, his data hovering in the still air for a few brief moments before it was somehow sucked into the orb in Azaraelmon's hands. A loud moan went up from the Scubamon Army, before they ran back into the sea, returning to the Dark Ocean. There was a brief glow, and Azaraelmon de-digivolved back to his ultimate form. The beach was quiet once more. For a few seconds anyway. 

exulted Ben. Way to go Myotismon! You did it! The other Digimon reverted back to their rookie forms from sheer exhaustion, and Ben and Myotismon moved back to the main group. Ben and Mimi were holding each others hands, grinning triumphantly. Cody noticed, and was fairly sure he was the only one who had. He'd tell the others, but why bother? They'd just say he was too young to understand, and that he must have got it wrong. Just this once, maybe he'd keep it secret.

The Tyrannomon looked down on the group. 

What's he doing here? I don't think we're strong enough to fight right now. Said Joe. Gomamon entered into a conversation with the dinosaur lookalike, then reported back. 

It doesn't know how it got here, but it was chasing this girl for food, and then she smacked it with a metal plate thing –I guess it means a dustbin lid- and knocked it out cold. 

That'll be Wolfie, then. Ben nodded. He thought for a minute, then smiled. 

Bring him –is it a him? Oh, good- Bring him along with us. 

Well, Wolfie's obviously seen a Digimon, so 

You think she might become a Digidestined? But why the Tyrannomon? 

Let's just say I think I'm getting an understanding of this business. Besides, it's practically Sod's Law. Just then, a voice rang in his head. 

_Ben? Where are we?' _

Wingy? He said out loud in astonishment. Is that you? 

_Afraid so. Where are we?' _

New Zealand. We just gave Dragomon a sound kicking. Well, Myotismon did anyway. What happened to you? 

_Piedmon knocked me out of my body somehow. He's a crafty little sod, I'll give him that much. I'm just trying to find my way back there before he hurts Sora or Wolfie.' _

Don't piss about here, then. 

_Good point'_ And then he was gone. Ben shook his head. 

Good grief(!) 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Will Davis discover the meaning of life? Will Azulongmon's secret bookmarks be revealed to the world? Will Mimi and Ben do the horizontal monkey dance???? *announcer shuffles nervously* Well, this announcer wants to know anyway - we'll find out soon with any luck on Digimon - Reality Redux!_

AAUK & DC: *Blinks* The horizontal monkey dance????  
Announcer: _Um....yeah._  
AAUK & DC: .......The horizontal monkey dance????  
Announcer: _It's a free country._  
DC: It's not THAT free mate!  
AAUK: *shakes head* You're fired.  
DC: Hey, weren't you taken away by the R.S.P.S???  
AAUK: Um...yeah. *wipes some red stuff off his sword and whistles*  
DC: *sweatdrops*

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	18. Better The Devil You Know :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We the undersigned, do waive all rights to the soul of Mexican singing sensation El Greco Del Momas, who (like us) does not own digimon..._

**Chapter 18 - Better The Devil You Know...**

"You'd best stay close to me."

"No problem." Sora muttered under her breath, ArchangelUK did a double take.

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" Sora said, smiling quickly.

"Okay... Dark Gate OPEN!" Angelus thrust his sword point first towards the pavement and a flash of what can only be described as 'black light' swallowed him, Sora and Biyomon up. In a fraction of a second they were standing in the Dark Ocean, Sora shivered.

"So this is what it's like?"

"You haven't seen the half of it." The Gatekeeper said, recalling his capture and torture at the hands of the four harbingers.

_Four.... Four.... **FOUR....**_

Angelus held his head in pain, Sora grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling over.

"Are you okay?" Biyomon asked frowning, Angelus's vision seemed to flicker in and out. Something important....something...

"I don't know." He answered truthfully, "Let's get Wolfie and get the hell out of here." Angelus was back in his 'Gatekeeper Uniform' of a long leather jacket. For some reason the jacket seemed to become different in length depending upon the world he was in. They made their way to a cave, everything seemed pretty much deserted no Scubamon were visible and neither was Piedmon. For now.

They entered the cave and as soon as they did they found two cages, one contained a pile of bones - human bones - and a smashed digivice. Sora clung on to Angelus's arm, he said nothing but brought out his own digivice which appeared to scan the skeleton.

"DNA Database - Searching..." The 'voice' of the DX was oddly female, it reminded Angelus of the voice of the computer from the modern Star Trek series only plummier somehow.

"Do you think it's someone we know?" Sora asked, the Gatekeeper did not reply.

"DNA match confirmed." The DX announced, and a picture appeared on the little screen. Angelus swallowed and looked up at Sora, who simply cocked her head to the side giving the unspoken question "Who?"

"I don't think Davis and Ken are going to have much luck locating the DigiEgg of Fate." He said softly, turning away and continuing further into the tunnel. Sora quickly followed his example and was handed the DX, they did know the person in that cell, that skeleton.

It was Willis.

  
They moved further into the cave which appeared to be more than a network of cave than just one. Suddenly a wave of pain swept over Angelus's head again and he nearly blacked out.

"Uggh."

More images, memories, sounds, all broken up and disjointed. Now he knew how Ken felt trying to remember things with the Dark Spore inside of him.

"Hello?" A voice called out inquisitively, "Anyone there?"

"Hello?" Sora called, "Where are you?" The little group began to run down the rocky corridor in the direction of the voice.

"It's about time you got here!" The female voice greeted them, becoming louder as they approached a small light infront of them

"Wolfie?" Biyomon asked Angelus.

"Come on you dumbarses get a move on!" The voice said with a hint of anger.

"Wolfie." AAUK nodded.

"Hey come on! Lemmie out of here!" 

They rounded the corner to see the New Zealander in what looked like a giant bird cage. It even had a large blue mirror, a seed tray and several 'perches', this was obviously Piedmon's idea of a joke. Wolfie breathed a sigh of relief as she caught sight of Sora.

"Phew, about time. Hey Sora - I assume you are who I think you are - can you get me out of he....wahhhh! IT'S A FREAK!"

Angelus glowered at her as he too came out of the shadows, his wings casting their own black shape on the rocks.

"That's as maybe but this freak has come to rescue you." He sliced the lock clean off with his sword and yanked the wide-eyed teen out of her prison.

"Ahh!! Get it off me, get it off me!" She punched Angelus in the stomach before cracking him on the back of the neck with a double fist. Angelus groaned falling to one knee, Wolfie grabbed Sora's arm. "Come on quick before it gets up!"

"That's ArchangelUK you dip!" Sora yelled removing the elder girl's arm from hers.

"Oh."

* * *

The Tokyo Plaza area was packed as usual, tens of thousands of people going about their lives. One of the busiest parts included the brand new multi billion Yen Sony building which had just opened. Outside local kids could sample the new games in development for the PlayStation 2. Jyn Takyari twisted her baseball cap around and her fingers thumped down onto the control pad, little more than a blur. On the screen the new Digimon game 'Digimon World 3' showed her own personal 3D Greymon doing a number on a notoriously bad guy. The stick of the lolipop she was sucking stuck out the side of her mouth as her friend Ligo Chan cheered her on.

"Go Jyn!" On the screen Greymon took in a deep breath, it's opponant looked wary.

"Nova Blast!" A ball of flame shot from the dinosaur's mouth and incinerated it's opponant which howled in pain before being deleted.

"Alright!" Jyn whooped, "I can digivolve to ultimate now!"

"Don't get yourself too excited Jyn, after all Devimon's only a champion."

"I still have to win round 2 as well and he's no pushover - he's a champion impowered by the forces of darkness!" Jyn said sticking out her tongue. "But you're right, even I could take down that sorry 'mon's ass all on my own."

"Oh really?" A deep voice asked behind them,

"Hey that's a good impression you do of him Ligo." Ligo lowered the can of soda he had been drinking and looked at Jyn like she had grown an extra head... or two.

"I didn't say anything." Jyn paused the game and turned around, as soon as she did so she wished she hadn't. The lollipop hit the ground by her feet followed by a half empty can of soda, she went to run but her mind was in such blind panic her legs wouldn't move in the same direction. A pair of red eyes stared into clear green.

"We didn't mean it!" Ligo stammered.

"I swear I'll never play as Greymon again!" Jyn wailed backing into the little booth accidentally knocking the game off of pause. Her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"EVIL WING!"

"MWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

And on the screen Devimon deleted the Greymon...

* * *

"And what do we have here?" A voice chortled as they exited the cave, it belonged to Piedmon. The insane digimon floated a good foot above the sandy floor, it waggled a finger at the three humans and Biyomon. "Uh uh uh. You know it's very rude to drop in on someone announced." 

"You invited me remember?" AAUK said stepping forward, "I believe you wanted this?" He held up the Digiegg of Miracles.

"Oh yes, only thing is I'm altering our little arrangement. You are going nowhere."

"On the contary my dear Piedmon, I am altering the arrangement." Piedmon blinked. "You will give me the DigiEgg of Fate - I know you have it - or we will destroy you." Biyomon stepped up beside Angelus and shot Piedmon a withering glance.

"You won't get the better of me twice over Piedmon." The bird decreed, gearing up to attack the mega.

"So you want the DigiEgg of Fate do you?" Piedmon smiled and produced a table and three large cups. As quick as a flash he laid the three cups out put the golden digiegg underneath one and switched them all around.

"Oh good grief." Biyomon groaned.

"Step right up and win a prize!" Piedmon now appeared to be wearing a straw hat as well as a red and white striped waistcoat. "Hunt the egg! One chance, three choices, guess correctly and you win. I can't say fairer than that can I." He had some kind of bamboo cane he was twirling around too, the four blinked in disbelief as Piedmon again moved the cups around rapidly.

"Pick the centre one!" Biyomon motioned to Angelus.

"No, it's never the centre one. Pick the left one!" Sora entreated pulling on Angelus's jacket sleeve.

"Noooooo, pick the right one." Wolfie said making to pick it up herself, but Sora swatted the hand away.

"LEFT ONE!"

"RIGHT ONE!"

"LEFT!!"

"No, the RIGHT!"

The two growled intently at each other, Angelus noted that fists were raised and even more worryingly he was standing between the two warring parties. He took a step forward towards Piedmon who shook his head sadly, Angelus shrugged as they watched the girls. Even Biyomon was yelling now.

"You know, I don't think you know the meaning of the word fair Piedmon." Angelus reached under the table and before Piedmon could do anything he removed the hidden DigiEgg.

"What? No!"

"One chance? I chose right." The egg flared with golden light, the Gatekeeper smiled as a sense of calm flowed through him. The egg belonged to him, he didn't know how or why but it just did, it felt like it was his. The aura of gold was enough to stop the bickering among the three girls and they looked on as Piedmon grew in size. He drew one of his swords.

"You think I will be beaten so easily?" 

"Yes?" Wolfie tried, smiling sweetly.

"Garrrgh! TIME SHOCK!"

"Time shock?" Biyomon looked puzzled, she was even more puzzled when Angelus fell backwards and landed ontop of her.

"Caaan't bre-e-a-the..."

"Nap time." Piedmon chuckled, floating above the fallen Gatekeeper. Sora shook his shoulder but Angelus reamined motionless.

* * *

Yamashita looked on at his little puppets and laughed as he made Gabumon and Matt start to ballroom dance together. 

"Oh this is fun."

_You have the bearers of Hope and Light._ The voice said eagarly, _Destroy them!_

No. It would destroy the Digital World. MY world. Why should I destroy what is mine?

Yamashita could have sworn the voice growled in dissatisfaction.

_You will destroy them Yamashita._

"I will not destroy them!"

_DESTROY THEM!_

"I...will destroy them." Yamashita said suddenly changing his entire opinion about the situation much to his own surprise. He reached out towards TK and his hand began to glow, TK wasn't sure what was happening but he was feeling hot and cold at the same time. He could vaguely 'sense' if that was the right word Kari calling out to him mentally, she, Gatomon and Patamon all straining against their physical imprisonment. The part of his brain that was functioning rationally was up to two thirds now, and TK was sure he was dying. He felt the life being sucked out of him and had he been able to see for himself he would have been alarmed to note he was being erased much like Dragomon had been - from the feet upwards.

* * *

"What have you done to him?"

"Me?" Piedmon asked pointing to himself, "Moi? Nothing!"

"You call this nothing?" Wolfie asked dubiously, Angelus had keeled over backwards and had remained in a catatonic state since. Every effort to wake him had resulted in failure, Biyomon had tried to digivolve by Piemdon wasn't letting her. The clown blinked as though suddenly understanding.

"Oh this!" Piedmon exclaimed, "Oh I just seperated his spirit from his body."

"YOU WHAT?"

"Yes, he's quite unreachable I'm afraid."

"Well if he is, then someone's gotta beat you." Wolfie announced, rolling the Gatekeeper onto his front and drawing his sword. Piedmon sighed, but Wolfie charged anyway swinging the enchanted blade towards the Digimon.

**_CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAACK!_**

Piedmon stepped aside and the blade bit into the large black rock that was behind him. The sword blade broke, a large segment spinning away to bury itself in the sand. Wolfie looked perplexed at the trunkated sword. Piedmon shoved her backwards into Sora who growled at the Kiwi, Piedmon laughed. 

"If it's one thing you've got to learn it's that enchanted weapons are merely ordinary fighting implements in the hands of unenchanted mortals. But anyway, eventually ArchangelUK will find his way back to his body. In the interests of fairness, I don't like being called unfair, I will give him an hour to get back... Or I'll kill you."

"Brilliant." Biyomon muttered, as Piedmon started to time the hour using his pocketwatch.

"Who are you calling unenchanted buster? I'll have you know I'm very enchanting." Wolfie stuck out her toungue.

"Oh please." Sora groaned,

"You got a problem red?" Wolfie and Sora were glowering at each other again, it wasn't long before blows were being exchanged. Piedmon cackled with glee and produced an armchair and some popcorn, 

"Oh, a free public show! Ten bucks on the one in the red!"

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

The NEW Announcer (Sora): _Will an army of Willis fans launch a barrage of blunt objects at AAUK and DC? Will anyone really care? Will TK die? Will Gabumon and Matt win 'Come Dancing' ? Will Angelus return to his body in time? Find out in the next chapter of Digimon - Reality Redux!_

AAUK: *grins* A much better announcer.  
DC: You WOULD say that.  
AAUK: Hell yeah!  


**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	19. Than The Devil You Don't :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_In the name of the father, the son, and that weird guy who throws cats at people who lives in that old haunted house with the purple roof we do not own Digimon. M'kay?_

**Chapter 19 - ...Than The Devil You Don't**

"Okay. Wherever I am this is not good." 

Indeed it was not, ArchangelUK had been split from his body. Now his spirit was floating aimlessly around in what could only be described as a purple fog.

_**FOUR.....**_

His head hurt again, odd in that technically he didn't have a head at this moment. Memories seemed to be coming back to him, as if he were - in this incorporeal form - able to access things that his corporeal one was not. Even that notion hurt his head. 

_**FOUR.....FOUR.....FOUR! **_

"No." He suddenly realised, "Three...not four, but three what." A whispering voice that seemed to be his own answered his question. 

_**"Harbingers." **_

It all made sense now, he remembered that when Gennai had told him of the Harbingers he had assumed the four evil Digimon were they. As it happened there were only three, he knew this now, but that meant... "One of them is a fake." 

Angelus' attention was suddenly attracted by a shimmering image infront of him, he yelped in alarm as someone or something started to materialise. 

* * *

"Ken Ichijouji, so good see you again." 

"I wish I could say the same...huh, no I don't." 

"You couldn't defeat me before with all of you trying, so what do you think you can do with only a handful of digimon." 

"Why don't you try me out Daemon." Stingmon buzzed, hovering above Ken. 

"Yeah, we might just surprise you." ExVeemon smirked, readying himself to attack. Daemon grinned, amused by their contempt towards him. 

"You may try foolish Digimon, but I am a Mega level so how do you propose to fight me?" 

"Let's DNA Digiv-" Davis was distracted by a shake of Ken's head, his face fell. "-volve?" 

"Davis for the umpteenth time we can't anymore." 

"Shoot, I keep forgetting that." 

"Don't worry Davis, me and Stingmon will take him down." 

"Don't forget about us!" Yolei and Jun chorused, Deamon was growing weary of the delay. 

"Yes another destined with another champion." He sneered at Aquilamon, and another human who doesn't have a Digimon partner at all. 

"But...I'm pretty!" Jun said, giving a lopsided smile. 

"VERY debatable." Daemon muttered, "Is that it? Is there no other challenge?" 

"Just one." Tai's voice cut through the air, Daemon gave him a quizzical glance. 

"And you are?" 

"To be honest it's more 'who are you with'?" 

"Who are you with then boy?" Tai didn't answer, but then again he didn't need to. His partner answered for him. 

"Agumon WARP DIGIVOLVE TO......WARGREYMON!" Daemon looked as though he was choking. Finally he managed to splutter two words - 

"Oh nuts." 

* * *

"Hi there Angelus!" The apparition greeted him warmly, floating about two metres away. Angelus's jaw touched his toes, the ghost was him. 

"You-you're me!" 

"If you can see me, then you've somehow become detached from your body and your spirit is floating around like some lost helium filled balloon in the Netherplane." 

"Netherplane?" 

"Honestly Angelus you can get damn sloppy sometimes." GhostAngelus groaned, and Angelus stammered in annoyance. 

"Sloppy???" 

It was one thing to become, as GhostAngelus said a free-floating spirit, it was quite another to be lambasted by yourself. 

"Who are you?" 

"I am you, only slightly younger." That did surprise AAUK, he had expected this 'ghost' to be older. "If all has gone to plan you should be well on your way to understanding your true purpose and who you really are. Namely me." GhostAngelus grinned and Angelus suddenly realised he didn't like himself that much. 

"Can you be more precise?" 

"I'm a sort of interactive recording made by you about, oh, 2 millennia ago." He didn't seem to have any wings which was weird to Angelus seeming as whatever dimension or world he was on his wings always were with him. "I'm here to give me, or rather you a warning. I did send you and the guy you will or have learnt to be the Traveller a message by email." 

"I-" 

"And before you say 'I wonder how he did that?' it was a timelocked data transmission from the Digital World." That made sense, though Angelus couldn't quite remember if he had received such a message. "I am the backup message if you can call me that, huh, I know what Hotmail can be like sometimes. You might have gotten it beforehand, you might not. If you are as advanced as I hope you are by now you will understand it, if not you will in time. Remember it's my body you're messing around with too, and I don't particularly want to die." 

Angelus realised the recording was obviously made before he did 'die', which would probably explain the lack of angel wings as well. 

"Strawberry custard barbecue mix." GhostAngelus smiled, Angelus blinked in confusion apparently the interactive recording was a bit corrupted...or simply crap. 

  
"The message - It is in the old Traveller language." 

"Oh brilliant(!)" Angelus sighed bringing a translucent hand to his forehead and rubbing his eyes. The recording took no notice and after a deep breath continued, GhostAngelus's voice suddenly turned very high pitched and its unrecorded counterpart realised the noise to be the sounds of a modem. The sounds formed words however, and Angelus recognised those too for it was the very message he and Digicowboy - or as he now knew him Ben - were discussing before they were uploaded to the DigiWorld. 

"A'eees coloir dei fol, de suete malarge q'uil wraz Zu'Clarrn fier naqt voulandre sor-lou." 

"What does it mean?" Angelus asked, again the 'interactive recording' took no notice. "What does it mean?" He repeated, much slower this time. 

"My favourite is Pepperoni." The recording said smiling. "I hope that clears things up for you Angelus." Angelus could have throttled himself, had he not been translucent his face would have been beetroot red with anger. 

"WHAT DOES IT MEAN? I don't know the Traveller language! What does it mean you useless moving Polaroid!?!?" 

"Your name is Angelus, you are the Gatekeeper." The recording answered, after a moment's pause. "Good luck buddy, and take care."   
GhostAngelus vanished as abruptly as he had appeared, Angelus was seething. 

"I never was any good at smegging programming(!)" He muttered savagely, propelling his spirit form away from the Netherplane towards something he hoped to be the dark world. 

* * *

"I can't wake him!" A bruised Sora cried, shaking Angelus's body. Piedmon groaned. 

"Nobody listens to me do they?" He asked no-one in particular, holding up his hands to the sky as if in hope it would answer his question. "And why have they stopped fighting? That was fun!" 

"Oh get out of my way!" An equally bruised Wolfie pushed Sora away, "I'll wake him up." Wolfie then proceeded to punch Angelus in a place that most men would consider to be a 'tender spot'. Such an action would have normally woken up most of the male gender even those in a twenty year coma. At present however it had little effect except to provide AAUK with a surprise when and if he got back. Sora looked mortified, Biyomon still looked confused, Piedmon was in danger of choking on his popcorn. 

"Funny." Wolfie said, scratching her head. "It normally works." She hit him again and so Sora roughly pushed her away. 

"STOP DOING THAT!" She roared, Wolfie glared at her. 

"Well excuuuuuuse me for trying!" She said folding her arms. 

"Tick-tock! Tick-tock!" Piedmon chanted, waving around his gold pocket watch. 

"What is it with you and hitting him?" Sora demanded, rising to her feet. 

"Bah, you've gotta have a hobby..." 

"Biyomon try and digivolve again." The bird did, but with no joy. Sora bent down and yelled in Angelus's ear. "Damnit Angelus get your ass back here!" 

* * *

"Okay, so that wasn't the Dark World." 

Angelus had so far been to his world, the DigiWorld, The DigiDestined World - twice and a couple of places he hoped he never had to see again for as long as he lived or even after he died again for that matter. 

There had been a couple of things on his mind, the main one being who the fake Harbinger was. He was rattling off in his mind episodes of Digimon and what happened to the evil digimon in question. 

"Devimon: Well Devimon of course was deleted by Angemon in 01...but he had reconfigured by the time 02 had come around. Now he was in that pool wasn't he...the dark pool. Dark Pool? Dark Ocean? Maybe a connection there I think. 

Daemon: Well he was sent to the Dark Ocean, kept rabbiting on about 'the powers of darkness'. Extremely powerful Mega...can't see him being the fake. 

Dragomon: Slightly disturbing ultimate level Digimon who is   
referred to by practically everyone as a mega level because that makes more sense. That's due to the fact that he RULES the Dark Ocean and is imbued with it's power, and that power is pretty big. 

Piedmon: Piedmon....was....thrown in a Gate of Destiny and hasn't been seen since that day. Wait a second... "

* * *

"Come in numbers one, two and three - your time is up!" Piedmon said, marching towards Cara, Sora and Biyomon with his sword drawn. Just at that moment Angelus rose his feet, not rose exactly, but sort of pivoted on his heels to rise straight upwards. 

"Yo! Wasssup?" 

"What? That's not possible." Piedmon stammered. 

"I know, but what are you gonna do?" Angelus shrugged, then punched the clown full in the face, he fell backwards into the sand. Sora and Wolfie gasped, Biyomon put a wing over her eyes, you didn't punch a mega level digimon...it's just one of those things smart people avoid. "You know I was thinking while I was in my spirit form, hell if your mind is separated from your body then you would do wouldn't you. That attack of yours - Time Shock." Angelus socked the Digimon again knocking him to the ground a second time. "Since when do you have that huh?" 

"Time Shock!" Piedmon yelled, and a ripple floated through the space between him and AAUK. It did nothing however, dissipating as soon as it made contact with the Gatekeeper. Piedmon growled and drew his sword, Angelus laughed and went to draw his own only to find it was missing. His hand gripped the fresh air where the hilt of his sword normally resided. 

"Where's my sword?" 

"Um..." Wolfie hid the two broken pieces behind her back - badly. 

"You broke my sword?" 

"Not broke exactly." 

"Oh no(!) How will you defend yourself?" Piedmon mocked but Archangel didn't flinch, in fact he smiled. 

"I don't have to. You see you haven't exactly been yourself, no attacking save for that parlour trick. Where's your Clown Trick? Where's your Trump Sword?" 

"Um..." 

"You. Aren't. Piedmon." Angelus grabbed Piedmon's facial cheeks and wiggled them making Piedmon's face do a variety of amusing emotions. The clown did nothing, like he was unable to respond to Angelus's actions. 

"What?" Wolfie asked, a bamboozled look shared by Sora. 

"Pathetic Gatekeeper so you saw through my disguise, I am PseudoPiedmon !" 

"An illusionary digimon... your Time Shock attack will blah blah blah blah blah!" Angelus thumped the clown again, who sent it's sword curling round in an arc. The blade went through the teen but it had no effect at all. "Now you see you can't hurt me because I know you aren't real." 

"Let me go." PseudoPiedmon begged/demanded as Angelus hauled it into the air by it's ridiculous Lycra costume. 

"You aren't Piedmon. You're the NeuroScorpy of the Digital World!" 

"The what?" 

"Now, if I was John Crichton I'd have thrown you in a dumpster by now. But as I'm not American and we have no dumpster I'll just settle for this." 

Angelus reached behind PseudoPiedmon's back pulled out his other sword and sliced the illusionary clown straight down the middle. The two halves stayed together for a moment before falling down in different directions and dissolving into data. 

* * *

There was still a third of TK's brain that wasn't thinking rationally, in fact it was running on pure instinct and adrenaline. Although if you want to be technical a small fragment of that was wondering why Matt and Gabumon had just done a Tango behind this 'Yamashita' man. Anyway back to the point, this third was a constant in that it was concerned with Kari. The rational part despite being twice as large began to give way to the 'Kari' part. Kari must not be hurt. 

_"T.K., please, you're the only one who can protect Kari. You have to be brave. Now, get going!" _

_"Okay, Sora. I promise I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." _

Kari must live. 

TK willed whatever part of him housed his energy to give it all to Kari, immediately he began to glow a bright yellow which startled Yamashita to say the least. He was even more startled when Kari began to move....and Gatomon...and Patamon....AND Matt and Gabumon, although they had been moving already. 

"This is intolerable!" Yamashita cried looking at his hands. "Look what I have to work with here!" He groaned, although in Yamashita's mind that was the voice talking and not him. He began to back away as Patamon growled and charged at him. 

"Slamming Attack!" The little orange mammal hit Yamashita full in the gut, sending him sprawling. 

* * *

"What is it?" 

"She broke my sword god damn it!" Angelus grumbled, he had just finish a twenty minute tirade of yelling at a certain sword-breaking Kiwi. So blue was the air, even the seemingly unflappable Wolfie was shocked by it and had wisely (along with Biyomon) made a hasty retreat so Sora could try and calm the agitated Gatekeeper. So far she had managed to get him to speak, but the pent up fury was still very obvious.

"Aww!" 

"Aww nothing. That sword was forged by the gods themselves and has lasted for millennia She gets hold of it and within three seconds she's broken it!" 

Sora got tired of Angelus's griping and so found an original way to shut him up. Wolfie and Biyomon walked around the corner at that exact moment, Biyomon looked perplexed as usual. 

"Wooo! Go Sora! Yeah you throttle him good! I...oh...." Wolfie realised Sora wasn't strangling Angelus at all. 

"Wolfie? Why is Sora trying to suffocate Angelus with her face?" 

"Um...well...er..." The kiwi managed before ushering Biyomon back around the corner. As she did so Angelus became overwhelmed with pain again and fell to the floor holding his head, Sora (hoping it wasn't something she'd done) gasped in alarm and tried to hold Angelus up.

More images...MORE Sounds...More...knowledge? 

Things were making more sense now, like they had done when he realised that Piedmon was infact the PseudoPiedmon. "The ancient Traveller language." He gasped, the air seemed to be burning his lungs. Sora's ears pricked up, the ancient language of the Travellers? She was a Traveller (supposedly), this had something to do with her maybe? 

"What is it?" 

"I...know it..." 

"How... I thought you said you didn't." 

"I...remember." Angelus was breathing very rapidly, like he was about to hyperventilate, whatever it was that was happening to him it was obviously very painful. "A'eees coloir dei fol, de suete malarge q'uil wraz Zu'Clarrn fier naqt voulandre sor-lou." 

Sora blinked, "I don't-" 

"It... It means 'Trust not he who does not believe.' " 

"Is that all?" Angelus shook his head. 

" 'You will be betrayed'. " 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

Sora: _Will I pass my new audition to be on the next "Alien" sequel? Will AAUK be able to get us home with a broken sword? Will WarGreymon kick some serious red and black-robed ass? Where did all the Scubamon go to? Will Biyomon ever stop being confused???? Find out on the next chapter - number TWENTY - of Digimon : Reality Redux!!!!!!!!_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	20. Entrances & Exits :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_Do you know the way to San Jose? Lala lala la la la lala.....we don't own Digimon, neither does the Tyranomon.  
Tyranomon: Garrgh??_

**Chapter 20 - Entrances & Exits**

Spiking Strike!

The attacks, rather predictably, bounced harmlessly off the much stronger Digimon. It was like trying to kill a fish by throwing water at it. Daemon laughed. There had been a minor problem earlier, but a good hit had sent Wargreymon flying. He raised his shield, preparing to get rid of these annoyances. And then he felt a presence behind him, accompanied by an intense heat. He turned around, and had he had a mouth, it would have been hanging open in shock. He didn't, however, so we'll just have to visualise. Wargreymon was standing right behind him.

Maybe you should look before you raise your shield. Growled the Mega. There's nowhere you can run, Daemon. TERRA DESTROYER! The attack hit the harbinger in the chest with enough force to shoot Manhattan Island into orbit, and the second Harbinger fell 

* * *

Back in Japan, Ben's group had run into a problem, in the form of their large red friend. 

But there are so many of them, Myot-mon. They would not miss one. The Tyrannomon was having trouble with some of their names. Mytotismon sighed. 

The man-things are not like the monoch-mon. They place attention onto those in their herd. Catch and eat one of the dogs, if you must. 

Is Dog good? 

I do not know. Catch one and tell me. 

What's he saying? asked Joe 

He's getting hungry, and he was hoping we'd let him eat some of the people. I told him no. 

Good choice. 

I told him to pick up a doggy bag instead. 

.In a sense, yes. At that moment, the assorted D3's, Digivices, and the DX started to bleep urgently. After a brief inspection, they looked towards the source of the signal. Except Tyrannomon, who was stalking an understandably worried canine. The signal was coming from the park just in front of them. 

Shall we check that out? asked Mimi 

Works for me. Said Izzy. Tentomon, get ready. It might be another evil Digimon. As it turned out, it was Kari. 

Kari! What happened to you? gasped Mimi, rushing to help the staggering girl. Joe was already hurrying forward with the medical bag. ..TK! HelpOh, TK The girl sobbed, collapsing to her knees. Ben slowly put a hand to his forehead. He felt.odd, somehow. He leaned heavily on the staff. It was obvious that Kari needed the medical attention, not him. That said, she was looking better every minute. She was still sobbing while Mimi tried to get a coherent answer out of her. 

Joe, you stay here with Kari. Get her some help. 

No. I'm.I'm coming with you. She said, getting up slowly. We've got to save my TK! Cody and Izzy shared a grin.   
MY TK? They chorused. Kari's eyes widened, and she began to blush. 

That's a good sign. Grinned Joe. If you're strong enough to get embarrassed over a slip of the tongue - he looked meaningfully at his friends - Then you're going to be fine. 

Slip of the tongue? I mean, yeah! A slip of the tongue, that's all! said Kari, gratefully grabbing hold of the escape route Joe had offered her. Now, let's go! I'll explain on the way! Behind them came a startled yelp, followed by some noises you really don't want described. Trust me here. 

Dog tastes good, Myot-mon!

* * *

Wolfie looked down at her wristwatch. Five minutes ought to be plenty of time. She popped her head round the corner. 

Ah. Evidently not. She muttered. Ah, guys? I'm just going to grab some fresh air, okay? You too, Biyomon. Silence settled over the cave again, for as long as it took Wolfie to go outside, take in the scene, and run back into the cave going AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!'. Which is what she now did, followed closely by Biyomon. 

Shouted an extremely irritated Sora. 

There's like a million Scubamon out there! 

There's no way we can fight that many! Angelus looked at his (ex) sword. Least of all with this. Okay, I'll just open our way out, and- The colour drained from his face, and he looked accusingly at Wolfie. 

Without this sword, there's no way we can get back! 

* * *

Yamashita sat in the darkened room. Matt and the three Digimon were being held immobile against the wall by his willpower, as TK, barely conscious now, was slowly erased. His feet up to his waist had taken on a pale, ghostly look as the power of the Keymaster worked it's dark magic. Suddenly, the Dark Voice surged into his mind, jerking him back to alertness.   
One of the Chosen ones is coming this way, together with some of the Chosen Children! I'm not strong enough to face them like this. Take me away from here! 

TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE! The Dark Voice roared, blotting out his own thoughts. Yamashita screamed, and was gone. A few moments later, the door creaked open, and the Digidestined cautiously made their way in. 

Where's Tyrannomon? Whispered Ben. We should keep an eye on him. 

I think he went looking for another dog. 

I think you made a mistake there, Myotismon. Soon there won't be another dog left in the entire city. 

shrieked Kari, rushing forward. Ben made to move forwards, and staggered. 

Feel reeeaaaaal woozy he muttered, pulling himself onto his knees. He looked blearily at his arm, which was glowing a faint blue, and at TK, who was glowing a faint blue and seemed to be regenerating. He looked at down, and saw that his entire body was glowing, and he looked at Matt and the Digimon, who were getting back to their feet. He looked at Mimi, who was staring at him with an expression of abject horror, and he blinked. Then, as TK sat up and looked around him, the glow vanished. 

Ben? Are you okay? You went all blue said Mimi, looking worried. Ben smiled vaguely. He couldn't seem to focus.The staff dropped to the floor, followed rapidly by it's unconscious owner.

* * *

Angelus resisted the temptation to bang his head against the wall. Look, I've got to stay. I'm the only one with a passing chance of survival. He said. 

I'm staying here! Protested Sora vehemently You might need Biyomon. She added lamely. 

I'M staying. Glared Wolfie, hefting a broken piece of cage meaningfully. I've got a score to settle with those things. Angelus sighed, and put a hand on each girl's shoulder. 

Those are both very good arguments, but A new piece of knowledge slotted into place in his brain. He was remembering more, now. He grinned, and reached into his pocket. If you'll just look at this, I can prove why you both have to go. He pulled out his sleek Digivice, and the girls and Biyomon looked curiously at the screen. There was a flash of light, and the three of them were gone, sucked into the DX. Angelus looked at the screen apologetically, where their digital representations seemed to be glowering at him. 

He said But this was all taking far too long. I'll let you out when we're out of this place. He tucked it back into his pocket, and turned around to face the Scubamon which had been creeping up on him. He raised his sword halves threateningly. What appeared to be the lead Scubamon waved his hands in a calming gesture. 

We do not come to fight, Gatekeeper! 

Then why the hell are you here? 

To warn you. 

Warn me? 

Our Lord Dragonmon has been deleted. Most of us were loyal to him, but some of us resented our position in this world. With his death, the dark rings no longer hold any power over us, and we can return to our true forms. 

What are your true forms of? he asked curiously. He'd seen them in His Masters voice', but he didn't know what they were. 

We are demons. The leader said, shrugging depreciatingly. But that is of no matter. Those still loyal to Dragonmon are crying out for the blood of the Chosen Ones. We are offering you this escape out of gratitude. 

Gratitude? What did I do? 

You did nothing. But your friend the Traveller slew our master. We will help you leave this world, and we shall make it ours. And perhaps one day we will come to one of your worlds, and make that our own as well. 

You know I can't let you do that. 

We understand. We look forward to the battle, Gatekeeper. 

Wait a second. If you're the rebels, why are you still in the scuba-skins? 

Those who are still loyal have kept their skins. It is the best way to pass unnoticed until we free you. 

Okay, then. Let's go. 

* * *

He's still breathing. Reported Joe, straightening up. But I don't know what happened. 

I do. Said a voice that was at once familiar and new at the same time. It was Kari. Her eyes were glazed over, and her face was devoid of any emotion. 

Kari? Are you okay? There was a brief pause before she answered. 

I'm not Kari. Sorry. Izzy looked wary, and took a cautionary step backwards. 

Who are you? 

I am The Light. I needed to speak with you, and I've used this girl's body before. Matt snapped his fingers. 

That's where I've heard your voice before! You were the one that told us how we got our crests after the Cherrymon thing! 

Kari moved woodenly towards the Traveller, and knelt down. She touched two fingers to the side of his head, and straightened up. 

As I thought. 

What's wrong with him? asked Mimi. 

Nothing. He has merely been caught in an Energy Bond. Probably Angelus as well. 

And that means what now? 

When they first came to the Digital world, do you remember how strange you felt, and how weak your Digimon were? After the Digidestined nodded their agreement, she continued. Somehow, you and your partners have tapped into their very life energy. That's why you all reverted to normal when they landed. That Energy Bond is still in place. All of you are connected to them. You're Digimon will probably be stronger because of this. It's possible you may even be able to reach higher forms. 

But that isn't all, is it? asked Cody. 

said Kari, shaking her head. The bond is draining them, slowly. She noted the shocked expressions on the faces around her. Don't worry. She added. I'm sure they will bear the bond with determination. The group looked somewhat more relieved. Right up to the point when they no longer have the strength to keep their hearts beating. Izzy and TK looked at each other, then moved to a spot where they could grab Mimi's arms, should it come down to that. 

Are you absolutely certain? asked Joe cautiously. 

Not about Angelus. Technically, as a demi-God, he has much more power to give. But then again, it's never happened before. This one, however, is only mortal, even if he is the Chosen Traveller. Mimi dropped to her knees. 

We've got to get him out of here. She choked. What can we do? Kari paused for a second, nothing showing on her emotionless face. 

Follow me. 

* * *

Angelus looked down from the cliff top at the stretch of beach beneath him, and swore. He could see the portal as plain as day, the one he had fled through when he had first come to the Dark Ocean. It was surrounded by Scubamon on all sides, scores of them. He looked down at the small group of Scubamon standing around him. I don't suppose you have a weapon or something I could borrow, do you? After a moment's hushed discussion, an ageing battleaxe was brought forward. Where did you find this? 

It belonged to one of the people who lived here before we came. Angelus decided not to ask any more questions at that point. 

If there was ever a time for me to learn how to use these things, this would be it he muttered, then stepped over the cliff edge. His wings snapped open behind him, pinions locking into position. And then he opened his eyes. 

Holy crap, it worked! I'm flying! Now, Sods Law would dictate that after an announcement like that, he should by rights either drop like a stone, or crash into something in a humorous way. But he was busy, and flew straight towards the portal as if he'd been doing this all his life. He held the shaft of the axe firmly, scything through the ranks of the Scubamon before hitting the portal in a blaze of light. 

* * *

Kari' walked the group out of the room, into the street, and through a pair of back alleys. When they stopped, they were in a secluded square. It had a forgotten look to it, as if nobody had been here for a while. She said, pointing at a patch of air that looked like every other patch of air, as far as the Digidestined were concerned. Ben, who was yet to regain consciousness, had been carried there by Tyrannomon, who was holding him upside down by one leg, occasionally banging his head on the pavement when it's attention was caught by a passing dog. Put him down. She instructed. He has to be awake to go through. There was a flurry of motion and a thunk as the Tyrannomon let go of his leg. Let go, drop, it was all the same to Tyrannomon.

Help him back up. Kari' ordered, and Myotismon obligingly dragged his partner to his feet. Kari' placed her hand on Ben's forehead again, and he looked up.

What the hell happened? And what the frell is that? he asked, pointing at the air in front of him. 

Is he hallucinating? asked Izzy. 

No. He's looking straight at his first dimensional tear. She made a face. I think that hole' is just a little too general. One of you will have to go through with him. He's in no real state to look after himself, and nor is his partner. It was true, thought Cody. As far as he could tell, Myotismon was looking even greyer than normal. Kari' looked around at the Digidestined. 

She said, pointing at Mimi. 

Yes. I saw into his mind when I awoke him, and he'd rather not be separated from you again. She shrugged. Personally, I can't see why. You humans are so confusing sometimes. 

But won't that put strain on him again? 

One person isn't a problem. It's the group that is so draining. What's wrong with you? she asked, looking pointedly at Mimi's flaming cheeks. Don't you want to go? 

What? Oh no, going's fine with me. She said hurriedly. are you saying thathe loves me? 

Don't ask me. I'm not up the technical terms. Kari' shrugged. Ask him yourself later on. We're a bit pressed for time now. I'm not even sure where this one leads, so come back to this one when you are recovered sufficiently. Ben, quite visibly embarrassed, took back his staff and turned towards Mimi. 

Well, then. He paused. Shall we get going? She grinned nervously and took his hand. Myotismon and Palmon formed up behind them, making sure they were in contact with the humans just in case. Ben took a deep breath, and Mimi squeezed his hand. Here we go. He said, and stepped forward. As they crossed that invisible border they seemed to fade away, and then they had completely vanished. Kari's eyes focused, and she looked around.

The boy in question looked at her and behind her, where Joe and Izzy were variously giving him thumbs up and mouthing Go for it!' silently. Moving slowly, he put an arm around her. 

I'll explain everything, Kari he said comfortingly. Patamon and Gatomon looked at each other in bewilderment. 

Kari looked up at him. Can we deal with Devimon first? 

What? Oh, right, yeah. They started to leave the square. 

Oh, TK? 

There's one thing I should tell you. Said Kari, walking close to him. 

And what's that? 

You're mine now, and I'm not going to let you go." He paused for a second. 

I think I can live with that. 

A few minutes later, a flicker of static echoed across the square, and Yamashita stood there. Close it! hissed the dark voice. We can half their strength! Yamashita moved forwards, running his hands across the edge of something invisible. He stuck his arm through the space. But nothing happened. 

I can't close it! 

Yamashita froze. Someone else was here, lurking in the shadows of the square. The newcomer stepped forwards, into the light.

But I can. 

* * *

Angelus burst through into the real world in a blur of limbs. He'd been going at a fair old lick when he broke through, and he was therefore completely unprepared for the tree he hurtled into in the Digital World. After he'd climbed down and done a quick feather-count, he brought out his DX. Sora, Wolfie, and Biyomon spilled out. Wolfie raised her cage-piece threateningly, and started to swear at him. Sora, on the other hand,was staring past his shoulder. 

she managed. What are you doing here? Angelus turned around to look. Behind him was a woman dressed in a light blue kimono, her dark hair released from it's usual bun. 

Hello Angelus. It's been a while. Said Jasmine.   


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

Sora: _Will mum...I mean Jasmine help us rejoin the others and defeat the darkness? Who is the mysterious figure with Yamashita? What does all this have to do with anything at all? Find out on the next episode of Digimon : Reality Redux!!!!!!!!_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	21. Evil To The Core :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Wolfie sleeps tonight....In the jungle the mighty jungle, she knocked out Pumbaa's lights...  
Nes pas ownay le Digimon capeche?_

**Chapter 21 - Evil To The Core**

"Mother?" Sora tilted her head to one side, as if trying to establish that the woman infront of her was indeed that of her mother. Her long black hair released from it's usual bun, it was surprising how a hairstyle could make someone look so different. She seemed younger, more full of life, she gave a dazzling smile as she took in the sight of the four figures before her.

"Sora dear, it's good to see you again and you Angelus - nice wings."

"Jasmine is your mother?" Angelus asked, recognising the woman for who she really was.

"My mother is Jasmine?" Sora blinked, doing a double-take between parent and Gatekeeper.

"That what I just asked you." Angelus held a hand to his forehead, "As if this thing wasn't as complicated as a blooming Rubik Cube already."

"Yes. I am Jasmine, and yes I am your mother Sora. You've grown up a lot Angelus." Jasmine smiled noticing the Gatekeeper's arm around her daughter, Angelus gulped and smiled.

"I'll take that as a complement. You'll have to forgive me, I recognise you but I cannot remember meeting you before." Archangel made a face. A lot of things in his brain were still a jumble, other things that he could really do with knowing (such as how to repair a broken sword for one), he glanced over at his older friend angrily. She seemingly understanding his train of thought smiled nervously and subconciusly took a step back.

"That is to be expected, I trust you have met the chosen Traveller?"

"Yes we have - why didn't you tell me I had a brother?" Sora's eyes betrayed the emotional confusion she must be going through.

"I wanted to my dear, but it would have jeapodised things. This way you have found out your true identity on your own." Jasmine ran a finger through her daughter's hair, brushing a couple of strands away from her eyes.

"We even went to Entherial." Biyomon added, hopping up and down. Jasmine patted the Digimon on the head.

"Which means you must have met Aeth? Hmm."

"Yep."

"Sorry to interrupt." Wolfie said, waving a hand infront of Angelus's face to get his attention. "But aren't you supposed to be saving the world or something?" 

"Who is this?" Jasmine asked, pointing to the oldest of the Gatekeeper's group - not counting the demi-god himself, who naturally waws at least a millenia older. Although technically counting the years as 'ArchangelUK' he was indeed a good 8 months younger.

"Someone who really wishes she wasn't here." Wolfie remarked rolling her eyes, wherever they were they seemed to be standing in some blue mist. She kicked at a tendril of the blue vapour which dissipated somewhat, dispelled by the disturbance in the air more than the physical disturbance of her foot.

"Jasmine allow me to introduce Wolfie." Angelus said, making introductions.

"Ah! Wolfie."

"You know of me?"

"Obviously her reputation preceeds her..." Sora muttered under her breath.

"Sora..." Hissed Angelus.

"We will meet again in the future young Kiwi, we all have destinies, yours will be seen in time."

"Uh, thanks."

* * *

"Devimon." TK whispered, the large champion spread it's hole ridden black wings as if to stretch. It leered at the youngest of the original Japanese Digidestined.

"Why little boy Hope, my how you've grown."

"Last time I saw this digimon it was in that dark pool."

"So good to see you again Emporer, you should really have taken my advice - it would have saved you a lot of trouble."

"Grr....don't call me Emperor."

"As you wish boy. I am not here to fight you, at least not yet, I am here to fight you TK and your partner."

"I am ready for you Devimon." Patamon said cooly, flying off of TK's hat. "Patamon digivolve too... ANGEMON!" The mighty angel twirled it's staff and moved into an offencive posture.

"Ah, now that's more like it." Devimon smiled, "Only problem being things have changed a bit since the last time." The wind picked up and the clouds grew dark, as Devimon seemed to grow in size, larger even than the time he used the Black Gears to enhance his champion powers. "Devimon digivolve too... METALDEVIMON! MetalDevimon digivolve too... HIGHDEVIMON!"

"He digivolved to mega?" Angemon asked surprised.

"WING CRUSHER!" The massive black angel brought both it's wings together and they smashed into Angemon who was knocked sprawling to the ground.

* * *

"Who are you?" Yamashita said warily as the figure who had called out stepped forward into the dim light. A scubamon (with scuba skin on) cautiously but with an air of confidence that seemed puzzling crept forward. He smiled, as such, at the Toei man and got down on one knee bowing his head in respect of the Keymaster.

"I am a loyal servant of my Lord Dragomon, Lord Keymaster. I am the leader of the Scubamon that are loyal to him still even in death."

"What do they call you Scubamon?"

"A... name?" The Scubamon was somewhat nervy now, some part of Yamashita seemed to recall that Dragomon had given very few of his Scubamon names. Only the more important or senior of the creatures was even entitled to go under anything other than 'Scubamon', identities as such were strictly regulated. Any Scubamon found to be possessing a name illegally would not wish to be caught - it was a deletable offence.

"My Lord Dragomon did not see fit to name me." The Scubamon said with genuine sadness in it's raspy voice. "However those like me who remain loyal are referring to me as Bateth, it means 'Annointed' in our ancient language."

"Well Bateth, why do you come here? And more importantly how can you help me to seal this gate."

"This my Lord Keymaster." Bateth produced a sphere aparently from nowhere. It was a charcoal grey globe that seemingly held a pulsating dark star, it also seemed to radiate darkness. The surface crackled with what could only be described as black electricity.

"A Digicore?" Yamashita asked, unsure.

"A Dark Digicore oh mighty Keymaster." Bateth made emphasis on the 'mighty' to dispel and possible comeback on the fact the Scubamon had corrected him. "Lord Dragomon before leaving for this world gave it to me with instructions to go here and wait for you to arrive. This Digicore will allow you to turn this dimensional tear into a gate."

"A gate?" Create a gate? A new gate? Yamashita frowned, was that possible? But not just that how did Dragomon know he would be here and that the Traveller would use the dimensional tear to travel to... where ever it was he went. Bateth shuffled from one webbed foot to another, obviously ill at ease on the hard concrete floor.

"Yes Lord, you are not....as strong as you will become oh Keymaster. If you use the Digicore you will be able to make the tear into a gate, which you will then be able to seal. "

"What about the Gatekeeper?" Yamashita silently asked the dark voice inside his head.

"The other chosen one will be weakened by the sealing of a gate, even one that is newly created." That didn't seem exactly logical to Yamashita, but he wasn't going to argue. Bateth lowered his head again and offered the Digicore to Yamashita. The rotund man laughed mighily and accepted, wrapping his slightly chubby fingers around the sphere and lifting it with two hands. He turned his atention to the gate as Bateth shrank away into the shadows.

"Now the game really begins."

* * *

MetalGreymon delivered a solid blow to HighDevimon, but it did little more than annoy them mega. The same result occured when a Garuru Kick found it's mark, a Tusk and Horn, a Celestial Arrow... nothing was working. The Digimon of the chose children just couldn't seem to put up enough offence to even hurt HighDevimon.

"DEATH FROM ABOVE!" An array of black missiles peppered buildings as the Digimon got rapidly out of the way.

"We're not strong enough!" Matt shouted, sheltering behind a phone box. "Without Ben or Angelus here we don't have enough energy, WereGarurumon and MetalGreymon can't digivolve."

"Neither can Angemon." TK called from the hidey-hole he shared with Kari and Izzy, "We need some help fast!"

"Dev-mon bad?" Tyranomon asked the nearby Yolei, he had managed to learn some human words and comprehended what they were saying. Alas he still had very little concept of the way names were pronounced.

"YES!" The purple haired human cried.

"He hurt Tyranomon? Tyranomon's friends?"

"In a heartbeat." Ken replied, pulling Yolei behind a wall as a blast of power decimated the spot where she had been standing. Tyranomon growled, these man-things had been kind to him and now this Dev-mon sought to destroy them. He watched as the Ang-mon got up off of the ground and started to fly again towards the now mega level Dev-mon. Tyranomon was impressed with it's bravery, it wanted to help...

"Tyranomon help Yo-Li." It said, "Tyranomon help his friends." And it set off to join the battle...

* * *

"You lied to him yourself Gennai." Aeth said, sipping a cup of tea. "You did not tell your brother all that there was to know about gates and their effect upon him. Should the Keymaster seal a gate..."

"It may help to remind him of a few things he has forgotten."

"It may help to near kill him Gennai." Gennai looked over as Aeth helped himself to a buttered scone.

"It won't kill him."

"How do you know it won't?" Gennai said nothing, Aeth sighed. "You didn't tell him about the prophecy The Light gave you?"

"He needn't know, not yet. Not until it is too late for him to act upon it."

"Very wise." Aeth said, and poured himself another cup of tea.

* * *

"Fire Blast!" Tyranomon hurled the fireball at HighDevimon as hard as he could, it appeared though to have little effect.

"What are you doing?" MetalGreymon asked,

"Tyranomon help Met-Greymon." He said simply, the reptilian android grinned.

"Thankyou."

"Thank him for what? WING CRUSHER!" HighDevimon's wing slammed Tyranomon back into a building, leaving it in a permanent state of being structually unsafe. Tyannomon groaned, Kari crawled out to check it was okay.

"Tyranomon try Hik-Kary"

"We know, thankyou."

The Tyranomon began to glow, but it wasn't being deleted, the white light that surrounded it shrunk as the Digimon did also. He was dedigivolving to his rookie stage - Raptormon. When the light disappeared Kari found a D2 digivice by it's side, it was not translucent blue however, it was white, the buttons and features etched in a navy blue colour. Kari pocketed it and with the help of TK and Izzy dragged the unconcious Rookie back behind the wall.

* * *

"What happened to your sword?" Jasmine asked mortified, Biyomon, Sora and Angelus glowered at Wolfie who stuck out her tongue. "Well, Wolfie shall fix it."

"I beg your pardon Jasmine, but how?"

"She has special abilities herself. She is a mender."

"A mender?" Wolfie asked, tilting her head.

"Must I repeat everything to you? Yes, a mender. You have the gift of Molecular-Rejuvinosis you can put things back the way they were physically." Jasmine thrust the sword pieces into Wolfie's hands. "Fix it."

"I'm more of a...er..." Wolfie murmured. "Smashy smashy person." She and Angelus said together, he grinned at her, she glared at him.

"Imagine it fixing itself." Wolfie closed her eyes, she saw many things... darkness being one, but she did have her eyes closed. For some reason she saw a cake as well, which made her hungry. Eventually after a brief dalliance with a room full of Cadbury's chocolate she focused on the sword. She saw it whole, gleaming and shining like it had been before she had smashed it against the rock of course. When she opened her eyes she found the sword pieces had mysteriously knitted themselves together. The hilt was joined to the sword point, but it was together.

"Try again." Jasmine groaned, Wolfie thought more about the chocolate...

Some two hours later the sword was whole - and working - Angelus having already summoned a gate that was was waiting to take them back to Tokyo. Jasmine stood infront of another gate to take her back to the DigiDestined's world, she bent down beside a tree and upon standing up held an object in her hands.

"Here." Jasmine said, "This is for your brother when you meet up with him again." She passed onto Sora a large staff made of a dark oak wood, inscribed with lettering of the digital language, roughly six feet tall, capped with an golden orb that seemed to shiver and change all the time - come to think of it it was exactly the same as the one Aeth had given Ben.

"It is the staff of the first traveller." Jasmine said smiling, Sora and Angelus looked at each other. "Take care of my daughter Angelus, I love you Sora." Then she vanished before they could speak the question they both wanted to ask.

"Now what?" Wolfie asked noticing the worried faces.

"Ben already has a staff, Aeth gave it to him. He said it was the staff of the first traveller."

"But isn't that the staff of the first Traveller?

"Jasmine wouldn't lie to us." Angelus said, preparing to lead everyone through the gate. "Which means the staff DC has is a fake."

* * *

"What do you propose to do now Angemon?" HighDevimon asked, holding the angel in the air a gigantic black claw tight around his neck. Angemon struggled against it's grip, Angewomon charged the mega despite Angemon's pleas and ended up crashing down into the road.

"What now?" HighDevimon grinned, "You can't digivolve because you are too weak, which is exactly what you are - weak, you always have been and always will be."

"You're right in...that...I can't digivolve Devimon...but...I...am...not....WEAK." Angemon' s hands began to prise apart the fingers of HighDevimon, much to his surprise.

"How!?! I am a mega level digimon!" He roared.

"He's done it before." Angewoman pointed out, nailing the harbinger with a Celestrial Arrow.

"Garuru Kick!"

"Spiking Strike!"

"Tail Hammer!"

"No...I will not allow you do defeat me again. DEATH FROM ABOVE!" A volley of missiles grounded all the digimon but Angemon. It was at that moment that a gate materialised in the alleyway and three humans and a digimon fell out of it. Angelus was instantly aware of an intense buzzing sensation in his head, there was a great pressure being exerted but he couldn't really identify where it was coming from. It seemed as though from all around him, they looked up to see Angemon manage to escape from HighDevimon's clutches.

"Hand of Fate!" The attack seemed to amuse HighDevimon rather than hurt him.

"Now we've been here before haven't we?" A large claw sliced downwards and Angemon had to move fast to avoid it. It was at that moment TK noticed the Gatekeeper's presence.

"Angemon! Angelus is back, try and digivolve!"

"How could you being here effect their digivolving?" Sora asked aloud.

"I don't know..." The Gatekeeper replied before his DX wailed and that pressure inside his head increased in magnitude. He gritted his teeth, surpressing the groan and said nothing. TK's D3 digivice also began to buzz and glow, a beam of yellow light went from TK to Angemon causing HighDevimon to shrink back. Angemon glowed brightly, so brightly no one could see him anymore, all they could hear was -

"Angemon digivolve too... MAGNAANGEMON!" But the light continued to travel from TK to his partner and the ultimate began to disappear again, then reappear, then disappear.

"Come on MagnaAngemon!" TK yelled, "I believe in you!" And on TK's expression of Hope - 

"MagnaAngemon... MEGA DIGIVOLVE TOO... SERAPHIMON!"

* * *

Yamashita held the dark digicore up and it flared with black light, a beam of such darkness emitted from it and struck the tear dead centre. A few seconds later the digicore exploded in sparks, but as it did a grey gate materialised where the dimensional rip had been.

* * *

Ben groaned, the sunlight was bright and hurt his eyes. He rolled over only to find himself banging into something at his side, he pushed at it and it angrily pushed back. He finally opened his eyes to find himself staring at Mimi's stomach. He groaned and tried to focus on where they had landed, it was in a park of some description, there was plenty of trees and grass. Some buildings could be seen in the middle distance, though he couldn't really make out what kind they were. Palmon collapsed next to him, as dizzy as he was. Myotismon was slumped the other side of a nearby tree, looking better than he had done in a while. Mimi yawned and sat up, inadvertantly causing a clash of heads neither one could have really done with.

Mimi smiled despite her pain, and gave her boyfriend a peck on the forehead, specifically on the place their heads met. Ben smiled back and reciprocated with a kiss on Mimi's forehead.

These turns of events were interrupted when a voice infront of them surprisingly announced loudly. "What the hell?"

* * *

"HALLOWED KNUCKLE!" Seraphimon seemed to disappear, but the fact was he was moving faster than the human eye could comprehend. He rematerilised infront of HighDevimon delivering a devastating punch that knocked the last Harbinger down, crushing the thankfully well deserted park.

The pain in Angelus's head was excruciating, and yet he made every effort to surpress his pain. He wasn't sure why, but it had seemed to increase when Angemon Warp Digivolved. Suddenly all pain vanished, a wave of what could only be described as ecstacy flowed through him. He'd never know such a feeling of complete bliss, it was like every cell in his body had been revitalised. This time he did gasp, in surprise at the sensation.

"WING CRUSHER!" HighDevimon missed...

* * *

Yamashita waved a hand and the grey archway flipped thrice over horizontally before it disappeared. Sealed.

The Traveller was trapped, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

* * *

HighDevimon looked for a way to escape, but he was in for no such luck. The emotionless helmeted face of Seraphimon seemed to be wherever he turned. "SEVEN HEAVENS!" White balls of hot, burning energy smashed into HighDevimon, he swayed backwards and forwards slightly before falling down and disipating into data. Seraphimon lowered his hands and dedigivolved into an exhausted Patamon, the action however was far from over.

Sora backed away nervously as Angelus began to glow blue, he drew his sword and held it point touching the floor. The air swirled, and a new symbol seemed to appear on his sword, glowing a bright blue, he grinned not really knowing what was happening. Then his smile collapsed, and his eyes widened. The symbol abruptly disapeared from the sword. He could feel it coming, but all ArchangelUK could do was mutter a simple. "Oh no." An invisible force threw him backwards into the wall, and up it, suspending him with wings spread against the concrete some 6 feet off of the ground. If the previous sensation had been a wave then this was a Tsunami; his mind felt as though it had been dipped in lava, then washed off with a good acid bath. Every thought burned in his skull, every pain sensor in his body was active he screamed for the longest time as black electricity coursed through and around his body. The others watched in horror as whatever force that was holding him prisoner released their friend. A burned and battered Gatekeeper crumpled to the floor, he was unconcious... and still he screamed.

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: What on earth has happened to my Archangel! _*DC rolls eyes, Sora glares, AAUK groans* _Where have Mimi and Ben landed, how will they get back now the gate is sealed and what now the Harbingers are defeated will Yamashita do next? Stay tuned for the next instalment of Digimon : Reality Redux!!!_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	22. Purgatory :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

AAUK: *shouting and swearing*  
DC: Er, that's right...  
AAUK: *More shouting*  
DC: Yes, the disk corrupted...  
AAUK: *More swearing*  
DC: That's right, you'll have to do this chapter I'm afraid.  
Wolfie: You two idiots woke me up! *LOTS of shouting and swearing*  
DC: ...  
AAUK: Damn, no need to be so rude...*walks off tutting with DC*  
Wolfie: *Blinks* WHAT??

_In the event of either of us owning Digimon please break glass._

**Chapter 22 - Purgatory**

"Where am I?"

The question seemed rather pointless considering what had happened, he obviously was nowhere specific as the white mist prevented him from seeing anything much. He guessed he was unconscious somewhere or the other and this was his mindscape as such... Angelus sighed. Before he had been sucked into the Digital World things had been okay, he had never been threatened with a bladed weapon, he had never been knocked unconscious, he had never been tortured at the hands of malevolent illustrations and he had never had the fate of three worlds thrust upon his shoulders. He was tired. Tired of the battles, the bruises, and the wounds, true having Sora Takenouchi as your new girlfriend and regular tonsil-hockey partner was a plus. As was the fact he could basically travel to innumerable locations, now had his own sword and was a demi-god. To him to be a student one day and a demi-god the next was quite a leap up the job ladder, indeed it produced a very large smile when he realised he was now at least a good dozen rungs above Bill Gates and Richard Branson combined with the fact her Majesty was also left to eat his divine dust.

  
There was one thing that was seriously getting on his wick however - the mist.

Whenever there was a mysterious place or he got contacted by bizarre people, recordings, travellers, Digimon, other fictional characters etc there was always mist. Purple mist, blue mist, green mist, red mist, yellow mist, mint mist, pink with blooming choco-bloody-late spots mist.

"ENOUGH WITH THE MIST ALREADY!!!" He roared, "There must be someone here there always is! Show yourself now, I'm fed up with the bloody waiting all the time!"

As it was his mind he found the mist began to clear and two figures immerged.

"Greetings." Both said together and Angelus covered his face with his hands.

"Oh no... not this again!" The two figures exchanged glanced of concern, "Not the alternate self thing again, I've already had multiple me's on a couple of occasions now(!)"

"Then you should be used to it." The one who spoke was on Angelus's left hand side, and yes he was a duplicate of Angelus as such. "I am the you before you. Or rather the you that was before this adventure, I am Archangel, I am the representation of your mortal soul." That was true as he looked like Angelus had been before he exited the Dark World the first time; blue jeans, shirt, short brown hair.

"I on the other hand am Gatekeeper." I am Gatekeeper? That didn't make sense surely, but that was most assuredly what he was. He looked like Angelus did now, only a more evolved version further away from 'Archangel' than he was now. There was no black leather coat, no black at all actually. It was all white, the clothing, the hair, the eyes. The Gatekeeper Sword was attached to a seemingly ceremonial scabbard on his belt, the wings were bigger, and he also appeared to be levitating approximately twelve inches above the 'floor'. "I am your immortal soul, what was and shall always be."

"I see." Angelus said to his alternate incarnations, except he didn't obviously as he was completely bamboozled. "Err, why do I have two souls?"

"When we defeated Arnakmon we used a great amount of our energy." Angelus didn't like the fact Gatekeeper was referring to them as a collective. "It was a risky strategy that we were foolish to formulate."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Angelus held up his hands, "Let's stick to the basics. Why are you here?"

"We called you here." Archangel responded with a sloppy grin, he ran a hand through his messy brown hair.

"What happened to me?" Angelus asked, Gatekeeper stepped forward,

"The Keymaster sealed a gateway, a gateway that he had created to drain your energy. Allow me to explain..."

"Please do."

"There are three true worlds and the false dark world, therefore there are four gateways. As the Gatekeeper, we are able to open these gateways anywhere between two worlds." There it was that talking in the plural again, "There are other gateways however, sub-gates if you will. These sub-gates are the ones that can link to alternate dimensional planes such as the Chaos Plane, the higher plane where we and Gennai journeyed to see the three true worlds and more. The difference is between us and the Traveller is that we can open controlled gates to specific places. Gates which are closed can be opened by us, this is not true of the Travellers."

"What is a Traveller?" Angelus asked, "No one has really bothered to explain."

"No." Archangel took over, "The Traveller is able to travel freely, but only through uncontrolled sub-gates that are open. A Traveller cannot open gates or close gates yet unlike us he can travel through dimensional rips to places unknown, though unless he carries a Traveller Staff to focus his energy he will be pushed out at random."

"And Wolfie?"

"As Jasmine said she is a mender and has her own destiny to follow. Her path lies away from you, the Traveller and the Chosen Traveller."

"The Non-Chosen Traveller being Sora?"

"Correct."

"Maybe that bit's for the best..." Angelus mumbled, remembering the seemingly endless hatred both held for the other. "So what does this have to do with the pain I felt?"

"The Keymaster used some large source of power, possibly a dark digicore to temporarily link an extra world from another dimension to our own."

"Whoa whoa! A DARK digicore?"

"Yes, everything has it's opposite, a nemesis - it is a fundamental law of the universe."

"I see, please continue."

"It was this sensation that felt pleasant. As the Gatekeeper our power resides in all three true worlds, yet when this extra world appeared some of our power flooded into it to maintain the balance. As there were no sub-gates the Keymaster was then able to seal that new main gate, locking off that part of us for all time."

"So what your saying is he lulled part of my soul into a trap."

"Correct."

"You DO like saying correct don't you?"

"Correct."

"So... wait a minute, where did he find a dimensional tear?"

"Near here, the energy bond that you learned about from Jasmine drained him almost to death. He escaped via this tear with Mimi."

"How do you know this?"

"Your ears... they listen even in this state between life and death."

"All you need know is that our actions in defeating Arnakmon led to a feedback of energy which drained you of half your divinity, you were originally a full God looking like myself." Gatekeeper gestured, "Your mortal half died so your mortal soul which was created to fill the void left by half of your immortal soul rose to the heavens. Yet your immortal soul was caught in between realms and was forced to suffer a millennia of pain."

"You mean it went to purgatory."

"Correct again."

"But Ben... the gate is sealed?"

"He is lost, and there is no way of knowing where." Archangel confirmed. "Yet within this dark hour a ray of light shines, the process has reconnected your two souls. We are finally as one again."

"But the staff! I need to tell him about the staff!"

"We know the answer now don't we, the answer to the recording's message?

"Yes. 'Beware he who does not believe' - someone who does not believe is an Atheist. Aeth."

"We are right in this assumption, he hides something else."

"That's all very well. But this life bond... when Angemon mega-digivolved it felt as though someone was crushing my chest."

Gatekeeper's eyes glowed a bit brighter. "With the Traveller gone the burden is ours alone, as is its pain."

"Beware for we cannot hold this bond for much longer, it drains us and we have very little of our immortal powers left. We cannot hold that link forever."

"But if we are to defeat the Keymaster, I must tap in to that energy yes?"

"That is the dilemma." Archangel nodded, "To maintain their lives it may be necessary to sacrifice that divinity you still possess, yet you will most likely need it to hold the powers of being the Gatekeeper in check. That which is divine and that which is Gatekeeper are not one and the same, there will always be a Gatekeeper. The problem is whether the bond drains you of everything before you and The Chosen Traveller face the Keymaster in combat."

* * *

"How long's he been out?" Tai asked sitting down next to the bed,

"Too long." Kari answered sleepily from TK's arms, making the blond haired teen smile sadly and hug her a bit tighter.

"We told Sora about what happened to Ben." Tai cast an eye over Angelus, taking in the full extent of the burns to his hands, face and most obviously wings. "She went down there with Joe and Izzy but she couldn't sense, if that's right words, the dimensional tear."

"You spoke to Gennai yeah?" Wolfie asked, slumped in an armchair with Raptormon dozing by her feet. "What did he say?"

"He believes the Keymaster somehow turned the tear into a gate and sealed it. Ben and Mimi are gone."

"They're...gone?"

"Unless they find another tear in that world which leads back to here we will never see them again."

"Man." TK sighed, "Sora must be worried as hell."

"Yeah, her brother's gone and her boyfriend's in a coma." Tai felt a slight pang of jealously as he said the b-word. "She's a bit of a wreck."

"I can imagine."

  
Sora looked upwards to the sky, the sun was setting over the horizon. She didn't know what to do, her brother was gone, and Angelus was in some kind of coma... Who was she to help first?

"Mother... What should I do?"  


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: What should I do???  
Wolfie: Well you could...  
Sora: That's a rhetorical question furry face!_  
_Wolfie: Oh, you wanna start something again do ya?  
Sora: Bring it on! *fight breaks out*  
AAUK: *Sighs* Tune in next time for the answer and more Digimon: Reality Redux!  
_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	23. The Episode With No Name :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

DC: *Wearing his Techie costume, headphones and all* Okay, you're on in 5, 4, 3Cue!  
AAUK: Welcome, viewers, to another episode of Reality Redux, the story that keeps on going! Before we begin, here's a brief catch up for recent readers!   
*DC wanders on and drops a book the size of the Yellow Pages on AAUK's lap*  
AAUK: What the hell is this?  
DC: The plot and changes to it of Reality Redux. Abridged version.  
AAUK: Okay, let's skip that and go straight to the disclaimerWe don't own Digimon, or Neon Genesis Evangelion or the Moon or the Hubble space Telescope. However, we have a large line in second hand sandwiches 

**Chapter 23 - The Episode With No Name**

"Is too!" Ben said

"Is not!" Mimi said

"Is too!" Ben said

"Is not!" Mimi said

"Unit One looks so much better than Unit Two!"

"No way! And Asuka's a cool pilot!"

"How can you say that? She's always insulting Shinji and Rei!" Appearances to the contrary, Ben and Mimi were enjoying themselves. So maybe they were stuck in a different world, and the portal seemed to have closed behind them. Then again, the reason they had come through was to allow Ben to recover his energy, so they weren't that concerned. "You know, I never thought you'd know about this." Ben grinned. They were walking hand in hand through the park they'd found themselves in a short while ago. The person who had rudely interrupted them had caught a glance of Myotismon and Palmon and had run off screaming, leaving them to explore and hopefully figure out where they were

"I'm Japanese! Evangelion came from us, remember?" She teased. "And you should talk to Izzy sometime! He's got the complete set, and the movies! In Japanese, of course." Ben set his jaw.

"In that case, my path becomes clear. Could you teach me how to speak Japanese?" Mimi's brow furrowed.

"But you are speaking Japanese."

"I thought you were speaking English." He said, equally confused. Mimi shook her head. 

"SoI'm speaking Japanese, and you're speaking English. You don't know any Japanese, do you?"

"I've picked up a few wordskonnichiwa, jagaimo, yonaka, baka, and wakarimasen. But that's it."

"Hello, Potato, Midnight, Fool, and 'I don't understand.'" She translated. "So how can we be talking and understanding each other?" 

"Let's think about this. We've been able to understand each other since we arrived, yes? But I couldn't understand that news bulletin when the Harbingers came into the world at all. Maybe it's just between me, Angleus, and you Digidestined?" 

"One way to find out." Mimi suggested. "Ask someone." Ben cast his eye round the park, looking for someone suitable to ask. A young couple beneath one of the trees, an old man walking a dog, a group of men in suits Ben chose the old man.

"Hi!" Ben said, smiling "Can you understand me?" The old man shook his head.

"Eigo o hanashimasen." He said apologetically. Ben's smile became rather fixed.

"Mimi?"

"He said he doesn't speak English."

"How about best out of three?"

"Okay. Ask that redhead in the school uniform." Ben and Mimi walked up to the girl, who was walking out of the park with her back to them. Ben tapped her on the shoulder...

"Excuse me, this may sound stupid, but what language am I speaking in?" ...And got one of the biggest shocks of his life thus far. 

"What are you, stupid? Japanese, of course!"

* * *

Bateth sat calmly on top of a large grey rock, preparing himself for what lay ahead. Of the renegade Scubamon rebels, there had been little sign. It was possible, he supposed, that they had left the Dark Ocean world altogether. He clung onto that thought, because he knew that the rebels, once more in their desired forms, had far greater strength and power than those who still followed Lord Dragomon and kept their Scubamon shapes. Anyway, it was time. He stood up, and surveyed the Followers. There were, he estimated, fewer than three hundred left. Of the hordes there had once been, the ones slain in combat had been sent back to the Chaos land, born again in their natural form. They did not return. Fully half the horde had rebelled as soon as Lord Dragomon had been taken by the Angel of Death, and none knew where they were now. And as time passed and Lord Dragomon did not return , more and more Scubamon defected. There had also been vicious, brutal battles between the two factions which had taken their mighty toll on the Followers.

"My friends!" He began, gaining their attention. "My friends, this truly is the time of hardship. In the absence of Lord Dragomon, many of our number have strayed from the path. But I bring a messenger who has great news! He is surely a prophet sent by Lord Dragomon"

Aeth waited in the shadows, a wry smile passing over his face. Him, a prophet? Not likely. Still, he had dressed the part. Aeth had a streak of theatricality in him a mile wide. He was dressed in a black robe with a blood red streak running diagonally down the front. He half listened to Bateth prattling on while his mind idly thought events through. He had been surprised when he had seen Bateth in the square where the Chosen Traveller had left. He'd been even more surprised to see that there was a Dimensional tear there. In short, he had no idea where Myotismon and the boy had ended up. With any luck, it would be one of the more dangerous ones. Maybe even the Chaos plane. Still, the boy seemed to have an extraordinary amount of luck at his disposal, and Aeth wasn't the type to take risks. Ah. Bateth seemed to have finished his introduction. Aeth stepped forward into the pale light of the Dark world, wearing an expression akin to holiness.

"Followers! Lord Dragomon but rests!" he boomed out in a voice that carried far across the beach. An excited stir ran through the congregation, if you could indeed call it that. "He has spoken to me, and I know now that even the Angel of Death could not vanquish Lord Dragomon! He shall rise again, stronger than ever before!" He dropped his voice down to a dramatic whisper. "And he has given me commands for you."

"Tell us, Dark Prophet!" Cried Bateth, plainly on the edge of some sort of religious experience. 

"There is but one thing that stands in the way of his return. The Chosen Traveller who has tricked the Angel of Death into keeping Lord Dragomon captive." Aeth realised he'd made a continuity error there, but the Scubamon seemed too wrapped up in his speech to notice. "Lord Dragomon commands that you seek him out wherever he may hide! For, to free Lord Dragomon, you must slay the deceiver!" A great cry rose up from the multitude. Aeth raised his hands for silence. And got it. He smiled inwardly He had them eating out of the palm of his hand. "But the Deceiver is cunning, and will not face you unless provoked. To force him to come forward, what better way is there than to attack his fellow conspirators, and his fellow ringleader? To catch the Chosen Traveller, you must attack the Gatekeeper!"

With that, Aeth ended his speech and disappeared into the shadows once again. He moved swiftly to the nearest tear, smiling to himself. If all went well, either the Gatekeeper and the Digidestined would sustain casualties, or Ben would be forced to return, and the Scubamon would tear him apart. A win-win situation, he couldn't help but think.

* * *

Ben could do little more than stare in open mouthed amazement. Finally, Mimi managed to speak. "Asuka?"

"Yes?"

"As in Asuka Langley Sohryu? 

"Yes." She boasted, with a flick of her hair. 

"As in Asuka Langely Sohryu, pilot of Evangelion Unit Two?" Asuka looked a little surprised, but recovered magnificently.

"You seem to be pretty well informed. Why do you hang around with a loser like him?"

"He is not a loser!"

"He didn't even know what language he was speaking! Tell me, can he do his shoelaces by himself?" It pretty much went downhill from there. After a few minutes, Ben decided to leave them to it while he went to check on the Digimon.

"Hey guys." He said, after heaving himself up into the branches of the tree where Myotismon and Palmon were hiding, along with the Traveller staff. 

"Do we know where we are now?" asked Myotismon. 

"Yup. Tokyo-3, as in Neon Genesis Evangelion."

"Is that even possible?"

"Current evidence suggests that yes, it is. And you'll never guess who -"

"MIEN GUT! ANGELS!" Asuka screamed from the ground below the tree, causing Ben to fall out of it. "AND THEY'RE ATTACKING YOUR IDIOT BOYFRIEND!" 

"HE IS NOT AN IDIOT!"

"Why is it whenever I go somewhere I end up hitting the floor with a bang?" complained Ben, getting, albeit unsteadily, to his feet. "And they aren't Angels. That - " he gestured to the huge monstrous shape that had just appeared on the horizon. "-Now that is an Angel. Hey, where'd you go?"

"Ben?"

"Yes?" 

"I think I've changed my mind about Asuka." A thought occurred to Ben, and he began hopping from foot to foot. 

"What's wrong?" asked Mimi, concerned.

"Nothings wrong. But can we follow her, Mimi? Pleease?"

"What for?" she said with some disdain. 

"We might be able to see Nerv headquaters! And the Evangelion units!" He said excitedly. Mimi rolled her eyes theatrically. 

"All right. But on one condition."

"Anything!"

"You have to take me out for a nice meal in a nice restaurant the first chance you get."

"Of course!" He didn't think she needed to know he was planning to do that anyway. "Now let's go!"

"We're too late!" Ben slumped in defeat against the resolutely closed Nerv door. 

"Maybe next time?" Mimi said, secretly disappointed. She had wanted to see Nerv headquarters as well. And Pen-Pen. 

"Ah, Mimi? A thought occurs."

"What?"

"Do you know where the nearest shelter is?" Mimi shook her head as the enormity of what he said hit her. An Angel was attacking Tokyo 3, and they were stuck outside.

"Let's go back to the Digimon. If the worst comes to the worst, I can try to open a Gate of Destiny." He said.

* * *

"The target is coming straight for us!" Hruga relayed from the monitor in front of him. Misato stared tersely into the main computer display. 

"What's the plan?" asked Ritsuko

"Units Two and Zero are taking flank positions." Explained Misato

"The Pincer movement?" 

"Yes. Unit One is taking position with the long range Positron Rifle near Memorial park. He's directly in line with it's trajectory. Units Two and Zero are going to rush the Angel and take it's AT field out, then Shinji's taking his shot."

"What the hell?" came Shinji's voice through the speaker systems.

"What is it, Shinji?"

"There are some people in the park! I'll bring their image up on screen." Misato gaped in amazement as she saw two young teenagers, male and female, walking through the park, staring up at the Eva in awe. The boy held a long staff with a strangely glowing end, and beside the pair walked

"Angels?"

"I'm not sure! They don't seem to be attacking." 

"Just who are those two?" 

Maya searched records frantically. "We don't have any information on them!"

"The Angel is advancing!" Hruga pointed out sharply. 

"Shinji! Take your shot, you idiot!" screamed Asuka. Misato watched as Shinji fired a round at the Angel, hitting it dead centre.

"Target status is unkno-" began Hruga, before Asuka cut him short. 

"WHAT THE HELL? They passed straight through it!" Unit Two grabbed it's Prog knife, and thrust at the core of the Angel. The knife also passed straight through it. Unit Zero stuck out it's hand experimentally, and waved it though the Angel.

"The Angel seems to be incorporeal." Rei stated. The armour on Unit Zero's arm began to buckle and melt. "But highly corrosive."

"Ritsuko! How is it doing that?"

"I've no idea! Maybe it's a sort of gas!"

"That's impossible! It wouldn't have an S2 organ! Or a core! How could it move?" 

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"Well, this was unexpected." Ben muttered, watching the ghost-like Angel curiously before turning to stare almost reverentially at Unit One. "GO SHINJI!" He yelled, giving the Biomechanical giant a thumbs up. 

"It's getting nearer." Said Palmon, nervously tugging at Mimi's leg

"What do you think? Should we try and help out?" asked Myotismon. Ben gave him a dirty look.

"You're just spoiling for a fight, aren't you?"

""

"Oh, all right then. Just remember to keep your distance as much as possible."

"We're detecting two massive energy surges in Memorial Park!" Misato turned almost automatically to the image of the two mysterious teenagers and the possibly-Angels. Who were glowing, stretching, changing.

"Lilymon!"

"Azaraelmon!" The two Digimon hovered above the ground. 

"Do you feel okay?" Mimi asked. Ben nodded.

"I feel absolutely fine. Why is that?" 

"When the tear closed, it must have severed the Energy Bond between you and the other Digidestined. If you're only supporting Mimi and Palmon, the strain should be much easier to handle." Guessed Azaraelmon. 

"I guess that makes sense." Ben concluded, absently spinning the staff. "So let's go!" And with that, he climbed up onto one of Azaraelmon's shoulders. "Want a lift?" he asked Mimi. 

Shinji watched dumbfounded as the twowhatever they weresoared effortlessly into the air straight towards the Angel that merely ignored all attacks the Evangelion units could throw at it. He shook off his amazement, and, discarding the rifle, started to run behind them, unit one easily keeping pace with the strange creatures and their passengers. 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: Will Mimi and Ben be able to help defeat the angel? What will NERV do about two Digimon being in Tokyo 3? And will Ben be taking any more allies back with him? The only way to find out is to read the upcoming chapters of Digimon: Reality Redux!  
_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	24. All That Was And All That May Be :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

AAUK: Contary to popular belief we do really know what's going on with this fic.  
DC: We do?  
AAUK: *gives DC a sheet of paper containing the RR backstory*  
Raptormon: Yes Digicowboymon, we do.  
DC: (He talks like Guilemon!)  
AAUK: (I know... Horrible isn't it) We do not own Digimon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, or Raptormon... someone ELSE owns Raptormon.... MWAH HA HA HA HA!!!  
Raptormon: Takatomon?  
DC: *sweatdrops*  


**Chapter 24 - All That Was And All That May Be**

Entherial was a welcoming place for Aeth, as soon as he entered a Gate of Destiny it appeared as though at his command, which lets face it, was the truth. He sat down on the nearest sun lounger and with a wink of his eye removed the 'dark prophet' costume he had on and it was replaced with the customary Hawaiian Shirt and Bermuda shorts. He was about to relax with a cocktail when the phone next to him burst into life.

"Oh what now?"

He reached over and grabbed the receiver, nearly spilling his cocktail over himself in the process. It was Gennai.

"What are you doing you fool!" Gennai yelled, "Trying to rally the Scubamon against the Chosen Traveller, are you insane?" Aeth held the phone away from his ear as his eardrum now ached terribly with the force of Gennai's protestations.

"Gennai! Gennai! Wait a moment, let me explain."

"Explain?!"

"You misunderstand my intentions, Warrior of Light." Gennai seemed to calm a bit, "The Scubamon cannot attack young Ben just yet as he is stranded in a parallel dimension to the Digital World. With the gate sealed your brother cannot return him and nor can Ben's sister reach him, I am merely covering my bases."

"Covering your bases?" Gennai roared again, making Aeth cringe in pain so he decided to put him on speakerphone instead. "COVERING YOUR BASES!" Gennai repeated louder, "You call risking the annihilation of The Three and the failure of the Rebirth covering your bases?"

"Again you misunderstand, if you would let me finish. Ben is a threat to me, he is a threat to all Travellers even a threat to himself."

Down the other end of the line Gennai blinked hard. "A threat to himself?"

"Yes. He has potential, far too much of it. Should he release this potential he could become the most powerful Traveller ever and breach the Time barrier."

"But that's not possible surely. To do so would risk temporal displacement."

"He has the potential to control temporal displacement, and if the Gatekeeper were to assist him in channelling that energy it could be disastrous. Ben is also a threat to me personally, if he were to realise his true importance and the role I have played in the restriction of Entherial, the banishment of Jasmine and he and Sora's separation..."

"He would destroy you." Gennai pursed his lips together, "I know I would."

"That is why I gave him the staff."

"The Staff of the First Traveller? I thought that Jasmine-"

"-She kept it yes. Hid it from me so she did, and I have only just located it."

"Then what did you give him?"

"The Exodus Staff."

"The Exodus Staff? Are you crazy?"

"I wish for The Rebirth to occur as do you, but I will not allow the Chosen Traveller to remain once it has occurred. If he uses the staff before then it doesn't matter. If necessary the Gatekeeper can initiate Rebirth on his own, he already possesses both golden digieggs, the sword and the true staff."

"So Angelus has the Staff of the First."

"Jasmine gave it to him." Aeth said failing to hide his bitterness, "That cursed woman has left me in a rather dubious predicament as now the Gatekeeper knows I was lying and that my staff is fake. If he were to let Ben know..."

"But he won't." Gennai finished the sentence.

"Precisely. He has another Traveller with him in the shape of Sora; the ritual only requires that a Traveller be there as was proved by Jasmine. It need not be the Chosen Traveller Gennai."

"Indeed."

"And what of your brother Gennai? Does he know of the Prophecy The Light gave you yet?"

"No." Gennai admitted, "He still does not. The actions of the Keymaster will allow the reconnection of his two forms, the higher form shall take dominance over the lesser and he will become as he was."

"But by the time the Rebirth is over..."

"He will be either dead or a vegetable. Either way it makes little difference."

"Clever Gennai. Very clever."

* * *

Another five days had past, the sky above the abandoned home they had sheltered in was red. Time was slowly running out, the Unification continued. Sora had fallen asleep exhausted in the chair next to Angelus's bed; still there had been no sign of him regaining consciousness. The Gatekeeper sword rested next to him, and throughout these five days had pulsed with a slow faint white glow. Yet all of this brought little comfort to those there

"Is he awake yet?"

"No."

"Is he being stubborn or what?"

"Him being in a coma is hardly being stubborn Wolfie." TK muttered as he walked past her carrying several shopping bags.

Wolfie snorted, "I want to get out of here, this...thing keeps following me."

"Raptormon no thing."

"Arggh! It speaks like Guilemon!"

"Oh shoot, that reminds me!" Kari suddenly began rifling through her pockets, a small pile of tissues, digital camera memory discs and various other items (that perhaps are best left to a reader's imagination) appeared on the table before she gave a squeal of triumph. She tossed a small object to the elder girl who caught it in her left hand. She curiously examined the digivice, a D2 model with a white and blue colouring, which rested in her palm and gave a confused look to Kari.

"What the hell is this?"

"Yours."

"Mine?"

"Yours, before you came back we found Tyranomon looking for something. Ben theorised it was 'someone', and sure enough when the Tyranomon dedigivolved after being attacked by HighDevimon it left this behind. You are a DigiDestined... in... er... your own special way. This is your digivice and Raptormon is your Digimon."

Wolfie looked as though she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or run away very quickly. An alternate option was to crack Kari around the head with the dinosaur that was at this moment sniffing her trainers curiously.

"You mean that this stupid excuse for an extinct reptile is my partner."

"Raptormon not extinct!"

"Give it a few minutes with Wolfie." Biyomon muttered,

Kari rolled her eyes. "YES."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! FOR THE LOVE OF SERAPHIMON NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

"What was that?!?!?" Patamon suddenly aware of the conversation blinked hard, "For the love of who???"

"She'd better not be trying to make a move on you..." Gatomon quietly growled at the kiwi who was now thumping the ground with her fists.

"Why me lord? Why-y-y meeeee?" She sobbed.

* * *

"Why me lord? Why-y-y meeeee?" Misato sobbed. She could tell this was going to be another one of those days, the Evangelions were going to damage something or those four invaders were going to damage something. Ministries would file complaints, organizations would file lawsuits, individuals would file bills and they would all have to go to her. She could see the piles of paperwork mounting on her desk every second this sortie continued. It wasn't helped by the fact that Shinji had decided to work with these unidentified figures against the Angel. Asuka was busy yelling at Shinji as to what the hell he was doing while Rei was passively watching to see what would happen next.

What happened next was Shinji telling Misato that two of the creatures appeared to be human and that he was positive one was Mimi Tachikawa. Now Misato didn't recognise the name at first but she did when Shinji stammered that they appeared to be riding a pair of Digimon.

As in Digital Monsters.

As in fictional.

As in... Ding Dong! Welcome to Paperwork Central! She started to sob again, while Ritsuko and Hruga looked at her in confusion.

* * *

"Sora? Is Sora okay?" Angelus asked, a sudden fear gripping his stomach and squeezing hard.

"Sora-chan is fine." Gatekeeper said in a cold voice.

"Sora...chan?"

"Chan." Archangel explained, "Word put on the end of a name to show affection/closeness for someone."

"Oh right." Angelus grinned, "Hey why haven't I heard any of the guys saying it to each other? Or san? Or kun after all they're Japanese right?"

"Oh they have been." Gatekeeper explained, "We just believe them to be speaking English, just as they believe we are speaking Japanese."

"As a Chosen One we are familiar with many languages subconsciously, its like we have a built-in universal translator." Archangel said.

"But when we were watching the news, Izzy had to translate for us."

"That's true." Gatekeeper nodded, "Unfortunately, we are only able to understand the words of those who share a fated destiny. Others who share such a predetermined lifetime will be able to comprehend our words as though they are in whatever language they speak, and vice-versa."

"Well, I do know some Japanese anyway..."

"Like?"

"Sugoi maho yoma usagi!" Angelus cried in triumph, Archangel and Gatekeeper sweat dropped.

"Awesome magic monster bunny?"

"..."

The two alternate versions looked at each other and muttered two words. "Oh boy..."  


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: Will Angelus conquer the Japanese language? Will Gennai and Aeth's evil plans come to fruition? Where's Yamashita? Will the Rebirth occur or will Unification destroy everything??? Only way to find out is to read more Digimon: Reality Redux!  
_

**Kari's Angels - ****http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	25. Neon Genesis Redux :DC:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_Wolfie: Shouldn't you be doing the disclaimer?   
DC: We're on important Kari's Angels business*Playing Super Smash Bros with AAUK*   
Wolfie: This is important?   
AAUK: Darn' tootin'.   
Wolfie: Oh, but I don't want to do it... TA! GET OVER HERE!   
TA: What?   
Wolfie: Can you do the disclaimer?   
TA: MY MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT! AAUK and DC do not own Digimon, or Neon Genesis Evangelion, or-   
AAUK: NOOO!!!!!   
DC: Eat my dust!   
TA: I give up _  


**Chapter 25 - Neon Genesis Redux**

FLOWER CANNON! 

ANGELIC SCYTHE! 

POSITRON RIFLE! Shouted Shinji, who was really getting into the spirit of things now. 

Good griefHe'll start calling it Unit Onemon in a minute. Lamented Asuka. 

No he won't. Trust me. Said a voice behind her. Asuka twisted around in her seat to stare directly at a boy with dark brown hair and blue green eyes. The boy, in fact, that she had seen in the park and was now outside trying to fight the Angel. Perhaps a few years older, but undeniably the same person. Aside from the fact that he hadn't been there when she had activated the unit, and how he could be here when he was there, there were a few odd things about him. One was the fact that he wasn't causing noise in the Nervous system, two was that he wasn't showing up on any of the monitors, three was that, despite the plug being filled with LCL, he was bone dry, and number four was that he was see-through. Asuka could quite plainly see the wall behind him. He waved at her.

he said, grinning. I won't come all the way through because it would mess up the synch ratio – Foreign bodies and all that, but as long as I stay half way through the tear, I can still talk to you and stuff. Now, listen closely, because I'm going to tell you how to defeat this Angel. You can't see' the Angel because it's bending the light around it's body. The body you can see is a refraction caused by it's AT field.

But we're neutralising it's – 

I know. The Angel has a secondary AT field, a few millimetres away from it's body. The primary field has a larger radius, and that combined with the AT fields of the EVA's themselves means that HQ can't detect the secondary field. The physical body of the Angel is about 50 metres North of the image, and it's spewing the gas forward into the decoy. It's physical body is very weak, so you need to circle around until you detect the AT field, then stab it with your Prog knife. 

how do you know all this? 

Because you're going to tell me after the battle. 

But how can you even be here if you're there? 

I promise that you'll find out in the fullness of time. Now go kick some ass. 

* * *

Silence reigned in the building where the Digidestined waited. Sora was fighting off a compulsion to sleep when Jun stood up and announced loudly   
I'm going home. Sora blinked sleepily. Jun had been uncharacteristically quiet recently, but as she looked at her, her eye began to take in the small details. The way she swayed slightly when she stood. The look of fatigue in her eyes. 

I'm going home. There's nothing I can do. 

Davis started to say, but Jun cut him off with a wave of her hand. 

Hear me out. I was just sitting at home, and all of a sudden I've been dragged into a new world, and I went along with you all because you looked like you knew what you were doing, and now it turns out you're meant to be doing world saving stuff, and we've been nearly killed more times than I care to remember, and what have I done? Nothing! I'm not a Digidestined, or anything special! I'm no help! Even Wolfie is useful! I can't go on anymoreI justI just She collapsed against the wall, tears rolling openly down her face, hugging her knees to her chest. There was a silence of the variety known as awkward. Yolei gestured frantically at Matt. 

Me?' mouthed Matt silently. 

You.' Mouthed the others in chorus. Matt sighed, thumped his head against the wall theatrically, and awkwardly put his arm around her. There, there he began, less than comfortably. 

Don't cry, Jun Motamiya. Said a familiar voice softly from the doorway. Sora looked up sharply. 

Mother? What are you doing here? Jasmine smiled. With her long hair down, her mother looked very western, Sora noticed. 

Alzari goes where Alzari is needed, Sora. Sora blinked. She had heard that word before 

_"You are the gatekeeper, a chosen one, the one prophesied to end the Unification with the last of the Takenouchi-Alzari line." _That was what Gennai had said before Angelus took up his sword. But the last of the Takenouchi-Alzari line? How could Ben be the last if she was his sister? And mother made it sound more like a title than anything else 

Jasmine turned to Jun. Do not despair, Jun. You will have played your part by the end. And if we are successful she bent down and whispered in the girls ear. Jun's eyes widened. 

Confirmed Jasmine, an amused smile running across her face. She stood up. And now I must depart. To thwart the Unification, we must all play our parts. And then she left. 

What did she say? Asked Matt curiously. Jun grinned, and wiped her eyes dry. 

That would be telling. She teased. And I don't want anything to ruin the surprise for you. Matt had a bad feeling about this. 

* * *

Well done, Asuka! We'd never have realised that until it was too late, if we'd realised it at all. How did you figure it out? Asked Misato.

Oh, it was obvious when I thought about it. Boasted Asuka with a flick of her hair. A thought occurred to her. If she did tell Idiot Boy from the park, he might let it slip that she hadn't come up with the plan. Why not just keep it quiet, her own secret? 

I wouldn't do that. His voice said from behind her once more. This time, Asuka kept looking forward in the entry plug. 

Why shouldn't I? 

Because if you don't tell me now, I can't tell you then, and then you'd loose the battle. 

Misato, where are those two with the Digimon? 

We've put them into one of the holding cells until we decide what to do about them. Why? 

Oh, no reason. 

* * *

Well, so much for gratitude. Sighed Myotismon, leaning against one of the cell walls.

Agreed Ben. But you can't really blame them. He and Mimi were sitting side by side on the bunk' of the cell. 

It must have been quite a suprise. Mimi acknowledged. 

How long have we been in here? asked Palmon. 

About five minutes. Said Mimi. 

"I'd say that was long enough, wouldn't you? asked Mimi's mon. 

Grinned Ben, sitting up. 

Care to do the honours? 

CRIMSON LIGHTNING! Red lightning spewed from the Ultimate's fingers towards the cell door. 

He'll melt through in a second. Ben noted clinically. 

Came a voice from the other side. We're opening the door, okay? 

Took your time, didn't you? 

* * *

Sora was once again on the brink of sleep. She fought the urge, because she wanted to be awake when Angelus arose, which could be any minute now couldn't it?   
That was Kari's voice. Get some rest. 

she murmured. 

"Sora. Gatomon said sharply. She raised her head to look at the cat, and suddenly all she could see where Gatomon's eyes. Go to sleep, Sora. In the face of thatcompelling gaze, she could do very little else. 

* * *

We truly live in strange times, Ikari. Fuyutski said amiably, as they watched the strangers being forcibly ejected out of NERV. All charges had been dropped on the condition that they Never do that again, ever. Please.'

Will this affect the schedule? 

I see no reason why it should. I have no doubt that the old men at SEELE will inform me soon enough. 

Are you sure we should just release them? 

Section three will be watching them. 

* * *

Sora raised her head sharply. Wherever she was, it wasn't the abandoned house. At least, she didn't think so. All she could see around her was a thick, cloying mist that obscured her vision. Butthere. Three shapes were forming ahead of her, becoming a bit clearer each minute 

* * *

What now? 

I vote we go back to the park, and get back. I feel fine, and we've still got the little matter of the Unification to deal with. Said Ben. 

You can't go back. Said Ben's voice, which surprised Ben, as he hadn't said anything. 

Behind you. I remember thinking the same thing. They turned around. Sitting on a bench behind Ben and Mimi was Ben. He waved at them. 

This Ben was a couple of years older, and didn't look that different himself. But Mimi couldn't help noticing that Myotismon wasn't with him, and nor was the staff. What he did have with him was blue, and looked like a small dragon with a body roughly a foot and a half long, with it's long tail wrapped comfortably around his neck, and it's wings folded along it's back. It was perched happily on his shoulder, as if it had just eaten the parrot. He nodded amiably at her. He ignored Myotismon. 

asked Ben. 

Advice, me, or should I say you, dimensional tear, and because I remember me doing this to me then ,so I must do it to me now, to answer my questions. He answered, then rolled his eyes. Thank Gods I don't have to do this more than two or three times. Temporal linguistics are a real nuisance. Anyway, back to business. Can I have a word, Ben? In private? 

I'm sure I know best. Said Ben, recovering from the initial shock. He didn't think anything would surprise him anymore. He lead himself off to one side. 

You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness. Ben murmured to his elder self. 

I remember that, but I've never found out who exactly they' are. Which is a bit surprising, really, given the places I'll go. I have gone to, you will go, I mean. 

I know what I mean. Why am I here? I know that Temporal Displacement means this is strictly impossible, and – Wait a second, how did I know that? 

Same mind, same soul. Things are bound to leak across from my thoughts to yours, and visa-versa. There was a brief silence. 

That bastard! exploded Ben. 

I'm going to kill him! Ben seethed. 

His other self said. It was a statement rather than acceptance of his anger, but Ben was too angry to notice. I'm going to rip his head off and shove it up his arse! Ben ranted furiously. His other self walked back over to Mimi. 

We'd better give me a minute. I remember I didn't calm down for a good while. 

What just 

I heard some news I didn't like. 

Are you really Ben?

He laughed. No-one's called me Ben in a long, long time. It doesn't exactly command respect as a name. No-one knows Ben. But everyone knows Alzari. 

Is that a Digimon? Palmon asked curiously. Alzari smiled, his features tinged with what may have been regret. 

I don't trust many Digimon any more. No, this is a Fire Lizard. Say hello, Raine. The small Dragonet chirped a welcome at Mimi, still holding onto Alzari's shoulder with sharp foreclaws. The next instant, it gave off what sounded like a warning, looking intently at something not yet visible. Alzari seemed to listen carefully, then his features set grimly. 

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: Where have I ended up? What did Ben find out? Did anyone understand those conversations? Where is Asuka? Two people know the answers __  
_

_DC/ AAUK: *Clustered around the KA N64*   
__DC: BOMB! THROW A BOMB!   
AAUK: I CAN'T! IT KEEPS CHASING ME!   
DC: KEEP TRYING! _

**Kari's Angels** - Where your sanity goes to die: **http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	26. Together Again Again :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_AAUK: YEAH!!!!!!  
DC: What? What???  
AAUK: Ganon just got his ass whipped! GO ME!  
DC: Ya completed Zelda 64?  
AAUK: YAY! *waves around Biggoron's Sword*  
DC: Well as a prize you can do the disclaimer...  
AAUK: We do not own Digimon, however we do own several hammocks that double up as very large hairnets.  
_  


**Chapter 26 - Together Again... Again**

"Crap." Alzari commented noticing as Raine had that his younger self had gone and stomped off in a five star, triple a, triple X language rated rage. Alzari set off at a run, which baring in mind he was technically not touching the floor was quite impressive indeed. Raine his 'dragonet' style Fire Lizard clung onto his neck via its blue scaly tail and was clearly terrified by the sudden rapid movement. He warked a couple of times loudly in Alzari's ear and the young man performed a skid then yelled out for Mimi and the Digimon to follow him - and quickly. Mimi shrugged, got up and sprinted after the older version of her boyfriend with Myotismon and Lillymon in hot pursuit.

"What is it?"

"I forgot something!" Alzari yelled, glad he could not see Mimi's rather angry reaction.

"YOU FORGOT SOMETHING!?" She roared, Alzari winced.

"Sorry. Sorry... but Sora and Angelus are gonna try something very soon and rescue you all, maybe, but if you're not with me, er, him - Ben - you're all gonna get left behind!"

* * *

Sora made her way closer through the clinging fog towards the three figures, she could make out voices now - quite similar voices.

"Ben once taught me the phrase 'Zaise o onegai shimasu'."

"That means please give me a legless chair..."

"Hmmm, how about 'Noo tacchi momoiro amedama!'"

"Do not touch pink coloured candy?"

"Shi ne busu hana chikan!"

"Die ugly flower molester??"

"DAMNIT!"

She burst through into a clearing only to find Angelus, someone who looked as Angelus had done originally and a big massive angel. She looked puzzled for a second before Angelus noticed her.

"SORA!" He yelled and ran up to her, hugging her tightly and lifting her up into the air.

"Whoa Angelus! It's good to see you too." She gave him a peck on the cheek and he settled her back down.

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"We brought her here." Gatekeeper announced.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

"Er, well..." Angelus put his hand behind his head and grinned sheepishly, "Lemmie make introductions. Sora, Immortal Soul. Immortal Soul, Sora."

"Your Immortal Soul?"

"You will address us as Gatekeeper." The angel said coldly, drawing looks of concern from the others.

"This other one is my mortal soul."

"Call me Archangel, everybody does!"

"Right..." Sora glanced around at their location. "Then why am I here?"

"We have a plan." Gatekeeper said looking smug but Archangel pointed towards Angelus.

"Or rather YOU have a plan, it wasn't our doing."

"We subconsciously pulled you into this world, because we have a plan to rescue the Chosen Traveller." Announced Gatekeeper to the red haired girl and Archangel immediately noticed Sora's baffled expression.

"He speaks in the plural because (even though he doesn't like it) we three are the same. Angelus is half I and half he." He jerked a thumb at Gatekeeper, "Basically old Immortal Soul here is saying Angelus thought up something subconsciously and pulled you into his mind." He explained. "He's got a plan to save your bro."

"Ben? You can save Ben??" Sora tugged on his arm.

"Huh?" Angelus blinked, "Me? Plan? What what??"

"Yes." Gatekeeper boomed, "It's subconscious, for our conscious to tap into our subconscious we must unconsciously think of the subconscious plan."

"What did he say?"

"I dunno. I'm stumped." Archangel admitted scratching his head and wearing a bamboozled look. Gatekeeper looked on impassively, he did not need to explain anything to these non-immortal spirits, if they did not understand language or the soul hierarchy that was their problem.

"I think he basically said if we fly by the seat of our pants it should work." Angelus said, looking none too confident. Sora's worried brow suddenly became more worried.

"He did?" She looked over at Gatekeeper but he did not even blink, "Well, what's your not-a-plan then?"

"Hmm..." Angelus stroked his chin, "Well just suppose..."

* * *

"Damn him!" Ben roared and stomped down the path, yelling at inanimate objects, trash cans, old people, lampposts - anything he deemed to be in his way. "That.... that.... AHHH!!!" Ben picked up a park bench (somehow) and threw it with all his might.

It didn't go far - but that's not the point.

"DAMN YOU AETH! DAMN YOU!" He screamed skywards, and held his head in his hands. "Damn you..." He whispered.

"Jeez get a grip already you idiot." A voice came from behind him, "And get your face out of your hands baka, I need to tell you something."

"Asuka." Ben muttered savagely, "This isn't the time..." Asuka's eyebrow twitched sharply.

"Actually from what I gather it's the ONLY time, so pay attention Idiot Boy and listen up."

"Why?" Ben sighed openly,

"Why what?"

"Why bother?"

"BECAUSE YOU TWIT IT HELPS US ALL LIVE!" Asuka hit him upside the head, "Now LISTEN. This is very important, I need to tell you this so you can tell me this when you come back here as the older you."

"Does that make sense?"

"DUMMKOPF!!!" Asuka whacked him again,

"You know if I wasn't such a gent..." Ben mumbled, "I could stuff you into a Gate of Destiny before you could whine 'Kaaaaaaaaaaaaajiiiiii!'"

"Stuff me in a what?!?"

"Oh get over yourself and just tell me." the Traveller snapped, "I'm not in the mood to be troubled by a psychologically scarred red haired German cartoon character."

"Jeez, freakazoid." She sighed, "Okay here we go..."

* * *

"Say that again?" Sora said,

"We're going to use multiple tears and multiple Gate of Destinies... hmm, maybe that should be Destini."

"Never mind the plurals, you want me to open a G.O.D using the staff."

"Several G.O.D's which will go through several worlds until we find an entry into whatever world he is in."

"I thought the Gate was sealed by the Keymaster though."

"Yes but that's a generalisation, dimensional tears happen regardless of gates, this will only be achievable I believe with a) the staff, b) a traveller and c) the Gatekeeper and we have all of those."

"But you're still unconscious."

"If my subconscious can think of this plan it can implement it as well." Angelus smiled at her, "What do you think."

"I'm beginning to think you've been KO'd too much."

"Grrr..."

"But we might as well give it a shot." She shrugged, Gatekeeper floated forwards.

"We risk a lot in this venture, it shall weaken us greatly and the time of final combat is close at hand... closer than you imagine." It was Angelus he was talking to and it was the first real time he'd acknowledged Angelus as an individual as opposed to him, Gatekeeper and Archangel being the same being. Angelus fixed him with a frown.

"You know something." He accused, "Something important I do not and you aren't going to tell me either are you?"

"Yes to the first, no to the second." Gatekeeper said and turned away, Archangel did too. "She must return now..."

And Sora suddenly woke up.

* * *

"Yamashita..." The voice boomed, sending the rotund man into a series of convulsions. "I grow weary of you."

"But... I... Am the Keymaster..." He managed through the fitting, saliva dripping down his portly chin. The voice laughed and turned into a slightly higher pitch.

"Men are so easy to control..."

"Who a-a-are y-you?"

"I AM the Keymaster." The now decidedly female voice announced, "I needed you to fulfil the penultimate part of my plan, but now I have almost regained my strength. As soon as my agent returns from his imprisonment I will be whole again and I will destroy the Gatekeeper and his pitiful little band of pocket heroes."

"I am not a-a-a..." Yamashita gurgled, vomiting over the wall and depositing an ominous array of blood, spit and bile across the dingy back street.

"A what?"

"I am not a doll."

"Oh no my little puppet, that's just what you are." The voice laughed as Yamashita collapsed and began to half crawl, half drag himself out of the alley towards the road.

"Please... Help me..." Yamashita called out weakly, clutching his stomach. It felt as though his gut was eating itself, which was close enough. The spirit of the Keymaster had possessed him and using it's, or rather her tools of manipulation exerted her will on the Toei director. She had successfully been sapping her strength much like a vampire bat sucks the blood of other creatures. The Keymaster had taken all that it had needed from him, all that was left now were fragments of Yamashita and the husk that was him. The beast had finished knawing on the bones and was ready to toss the remainder away.

"I sense his approach, pitiful human, and when he arrives it will be the end of you and then your pathetic species. Unification shall occur, and darkness shall prevail, Chaos will always triumph over Order - it is the way of things."

* * *

"Sora." Gatomon snapped, "I told you to sleep."

"Angelus... I was in Angelus's mind."

"Of course you were Sora, now go back to sleep."

"No! He has a plan!"

"A plan?"

"Yes!" She picked up the Traveller Staff and Gatekeeper Sword, the latter she deposited in the prone Gatekeeper's lap wrapping his limp hands around the hilt.

"What are you doing now Red?" A sleepy Wolfie muttered, gaining a look of derision from the Traveller.

"Something you could never do..." She said savagely, which woke up the Kiwi good and proper. "...Be useful."

"Oh no..." Cody muttered and hid behind Yolei, who in turn hid behind Ken, who hid behind Davis, who hid behind Kari, who hid behind TK... who having not heard what was going on suddenly found himself with a long cue of people behind him.

"Are we doing a bloody conga or something?" He asked, before noticing the glaring girls. TK noticed there was no one else to hide behind, everyone else had taken cover. "Oh crap..." 

"I am useful." Wolfie said in a surprisingly quiet voice, which greatly added to the ominous nature of the statement.

"Sure you are 'Madame Mender'."

"Mender, exactly. So I CAN FIX YOU GOOD!" She raised the chair she had been sitting on over her head and Sora raised her staff. It was at that moment the golden orb atop it seemed to glow and open outwards like some kind of morning flower, petals unwrapping themselves to reveal a core of pure white brilliance. Suddenly Sora could see everything, all the tears in the world, and she looked in one and she saw another world of grass and flowers and the tears that existed there... and emboldened by the blue light suddenly emanating from Angelus's sword into the orb and her and the unmistakable feeling of his mental presence she looked into another. One of war and metal monsters and she could not sense her brother, so she looked into another dimensional rip.

Then another tear into another world... And another... And another... And another... And another... And another... And...

Sora was beginning to shake as was the form of Angelus on the bed, as none of the others knew that this was in fact a plan some were yelling that whatever it was should be stopped.

"They're being attacked!" Davis yelled,

"What are you talking about, he's attacking her!" Tai yelled back, only to be challenged on that statement by a viciously acid tongued Biyomon.

_Ben... I can sense him Angelus!_

_Well, get him back then Sora!_

_Is Mimi there though? I can't leave them behind._

_I can't focus it anymore for you, we've gone through too many tears to lock onto anyone but Ben. We have to hope they are near, it is this or nothing. If we get just Ben, he can perhaps locate them on his own._

_Yes, I suppose. Come on Ben, home time..._

* * *

"Time for you to leave." Archangel announced,

"I know." Angelus nodded. "I can sense myself waking already."

"Farewell." Gatekeeper intoned coldly.

"Yeah. And I DO know some Japanese thank you."

"Of course we do..." Gatekeeper rolled his iris less eyes,

"Sayonara odango atama." Angelus sneered at him and bit his thumb at the Angel before vanishing from the mindscape.

"What did he say?" Gatekeeper glanced at Archangel,

"The literal translation?" Archangel asked and Gatekeeper nodded. "Goodbye dumpling head."

* * *

"Shoot..." Alzari said as he felt the nearby opening of a tear into the world he presently occupied. "Come on you move it!"

"We're going as rapidly as possible." Myotismon muttered but Alzari blanked him as usual, his attention totally focused on Mimi. Raine looked at him sternly and squawked (if that was the best term to use) something at him. "I know, he won't be left behind."

"Swark?"

"I know... I know... It is his destiny, that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Suuuaaaaaar!"

"You don't need to tell me that Raine, I told you I KNOW. I was there remember!"

"Secaw... T'eeeeeeeeak."

"I see them." Alzari noted as his younger self and Asuka came into view sitting on a bench.

* * *

"Wow... I can't believe it." Ben shook his head.

"Which bit?"

"The Angels bit, it raises some interesting questions." Ben stroked his chin when he suddenly heard Mimi call his name. "Mimi?"

"BEN!" Mimi called out and carried by Lillymon dropped down next to him, "Alzari says Angelus and Sora are gonna try and rescue us."

"He's what?" 

"Who's Angelus?" Asuka asked, only for the two Digimon, Mimi and Ben to promptly disappear from where they were sitting.

* * *

Ben, Mimi and the two Digimon spilled out from the orb of light onto the ever-unfortunate Angelus.

"Damn." Angelus groaned,

"Hey Angelus good to see you!" Ben said ruffling the older male's messy white hair.

"Ben! You're back!" Sora launched herself at her brother, smashing the now coma-less Angelus's head back into the wooden bed head.

"Remind me to have a CAT-scan after this adventure." He mumbled, as the other DigiDestined jumped on the bed in celebration and Wolfie just watched as the whole thing collapsed under all the weight.

* * *

"You'll get to meet him one day." Alzari said, appearing in front of Asuka and petting Raine with his hand. "Sooner than you may think."

"They... just vanished." Asuka blinked, "Ben didn't even say goodbye, he just... left!"

"Rude I know. I apologise for my younger self and now I must go as well."

"What? Where the hell are you going Idiot Boy Senior!?"

"Home." Alzari sighed, "It has been a while but now my task is completed I must return to Entherial."

"Entheri-what?" But in the blink of an eye he and Raine had disappeared too.

_He didn't say goodbye either..._ Asuka thought, then she roared skyward. "YOU RUDE OLD IGNORANT IGOTISTICAL CHAUVANISTIC TIME TRAVELLING MALE BAKA!!!!!!!" She turned on her heel only to find a piece of paper on the bench she had been sitting.

_Gomen nasai Sohryu-san, we will meet again.  
In my past and in my future._

_Alzari.  
_

_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: Who is the true Keymaster? What questions have arisen to make Ben curious? Who is the agent the Keymaster spoke of and how will the reunited team stop the Unification??? The End of the Three worlds approaches soon in the next chapters of Digimon: Reality Redux!  
_

**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!" : **http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	27. Mansuros et Coniurati :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_AAUK: Sorry for the delay with this chapter folks but someone was 'too busy' to write...  
DC: It's true.  
AAUK: ...  
DC: It is!!! Anyway please read and review - we love reviews!!!!  
AAUK: Riiiiiight. Well we do not own Digimon, just this skull - alas poor Gennai, I knew him well Horatio..._

**Chapter 27 - Mansuros et Coniurati**

They had returned to the all but deserted and severely damaged centre of Tokyo, (no not Tokyo-3 and Neon Genesis Evangelion, we've left there remember?) It truly was in a state. They were all far from home, some a world away, others a continent but each did not belong here wanted to go home. Yet their paths had led here, to this place and it would be here that their futures would be decided. For one however, their path would lead away from the others. They had their own destiny to fulfil, away from most of the others - at least for the moment. The time of that parting was now.

"You're going?"

"Yuppers."

"Just... like that?"

"Damn straight."

"But I've only just got back!" Ben complained, leaning on his glowing staff.

"I've only just woken up!" Angelus protested looking a tad put out himself.

"I'm sorry you guys, but I've got to go." Wolfie smiled sadly and looked off into the distance, her eyes narrowed. "Something's..."

Kari blinked, "Something's what?"

"Calling me." The dark haired girl finished.

Now it was TK's turn to blink, "Calling you? Calling you where?"

"Home."

"To New Zealand?" Angelus asked, looking concerned as Wolfie's brow furrowed and her eyes closed as if in concentration.

"Something's going on there." She said simply. "Dang, why is it I have all these extrasensory powers all of a sudden."

"I dunno." Shrugged Joe, "But do ya wanna trade?"

"Joe?" Gomamon looked puzzled,

"I wanna be the hero for once." Joe grumbled.

"You were once, remember. We climbed Infinity Mountain - the whole Unimon incident remember?"

"True."

"When we get back from memory lane..." Tai rubbed his temples.

"But I feel really ill at ease among all these magicians demigods and chosen people." The doctor in training whined.

"When did you switch back from mature Joe to wimpy Joe?" Izzy wondered aloud, before being distracted by a sudden realisation. The temperature was dropping, he couldn't be sure but it had been very warm, at least 18 degrees Celsius. By Izzy's calculations it could only be 8 or less now - ten degrees in a matter of minutes?? 

"Er hello?" Jun waved a hand in front of Joe's face, "At least you're a DigiDestined, I'm here by mistake and my only claim to fame is having Davis as a brother."

"Yeah you should be happy!" Davis grinned,

"Oh brother..." Jun held a hand to her forehead and sighed.

"What?"

"I think she's saying that having you for a brother still isn't a very good option for her." TK chuckled.

"Who are you calling a bad option TC!"

"You Davis."

"Why you... GRR!" 

"Seems like things are back to normal." Angelus sighed, eliciting a giggle from those still listening to him. Wolfie turned towards the two elder males.

"I really want to help you guys out." The kiwi ignored Sora's snort, "But something's going on there and I need to find out what it is."

"Well, thank you anyway Wolfie for helping us out." TK said on behalf of the group, minus a redhead obviously, and the keeper of Hope gave her a dazzling smile. The Mender blushed, Davis elbowed TK in the ribs.

"Hey TK I think she likes you." This earned Wolfie a glare from Sora and Kari whilst Davis got a glare from Wolfie, TK, Kari and the two chosen ones.

"Doofus." Jun muttered, which only served to kick up everything again and a full-scale row broke out between Davis, Jun and anyone else who got caught in the crossfire. Rather sensibly (a moment severely OOC for those who care at this point) Wolfie flung an arm around Ben and Angelus steering all three away from the verbal carnage going on around them... who'd have thought little Cody knew so many rude and insulting words....? Tsk tsk.

"Who'd have thought little Cody knew so many rude and insulting words?" Ben replied, curiously repeating the author's train of thought.

"What that midget? Ha! He'll be listening to Slipknot by the end of all this." Wolfie chuckled.

"He's certainly the right age." Angelus nodded as they approached another deserted clearing well away from the others. "And he's already got his own weapon..." The sound of Cody smacking his kendo stick accidentally into Matt's ankle reverberated around the deserted streets. The Gatekeeper shook his head, now Armadillomon had grabbed Yolei by the shirt and was yelling in her face, something about 'not being a stool' or something.

"Well," Wolfie sighed "I'd best be going then." Angelus responded by drawing his sword and burying it into the ground. As if by magic a blue archway appeared, creating a rush of wind that successfully got the attention of the DigiDestined. In the centre of this archway a flickering monochrome picture appeared of a beach, a severely deserted and battered beach.

"That does not look good."

"What's up with the image Wingy?" Ben asked but didn't get a verbal response, instead Angelus just frowned his face decidedly concerned. He reached out a laid a finger onto the very base of the sword hilt, immediately the image corrected itself and a stabilized portal formed.

"What the hell happened there?"

"Guess I'm gonna find out."

"Be careful." Angelus cautioned, 

"I will." The elder girl smiled, "See ya Gatekeeper."

"See ya Mender."

And with that Wolfie disappeared out of our story - At least for now.

"Soooooooo." Ben announced rubbing his palms together, "Where's the staff?"

Angelus blinked, "What staff."

"THE staff."

"You know about the fake?" Sora asked as her brother tossed the staff he had been leaning against into a nearby skip.

"Fake? What the?" Mimi did a double take. 

"So you know about Aeth's betrayal of us?" Angelus said slowly and deliberately, noting Ben's eyes narrowed when he mentioned Aeth's name. The bitterness in the Traveller's reply was almost tangible and brought a tingle to the Gatekeeper's spine.

"Yeah." But you don't know the half of it, and I cannot tell you what will occur...

Sora scratched the back of her neck, "Um, don't take this the wrong way but... who told you? I mean we've only just found out ourselves."

"I did."

"You told yourself?" Asked a sceptical Ken,

"Yessssss." Ben noticed the mass of confused expressions, "This is going to take some explanation." And so Ben explained what Alzari had told him and more specifically what he could tell them that Alzari had told him. What the staff was meant to do and what the one he had held would not have done.

"So what does this staff do." Yolei gestured at the binned staff.

"It sends you on an express trip to the Chaos Plain."

"Chaos Plain?" Now it was Davis' turn to voice a question, but it was Angelus who answered.

"An area of anti-space, nothing lives there very long for everything is un-orderly - hence chaotic. It will turn your mind inside out and scatter you across reality."

"Ouch." Veemon muttered.

"Most everything in the Universe is either chaos or order based, there cannot be one without the other but it is not as simple as too much chaos being 'evil', for if you were to have an excess of order the result would also be negative. The Chaos Plain holds order, it has to to remain separate from everything else it's just that within that space there is little to no order."

"Well that was as clear as mud." Gatomon yawned, "Thanks for sharing Angel boy."

It was at that moment a deafening crash of thunder sounded and the ground shook for several seconds. Everyone bar Myotismon was thrown to the ground as windows imploded, buildings shook and cracks snaked down the road and pavement. The little group were barely on their feet again before a second sonic boom knocked them flat again.

"What the hell was that!?" Izzy asked, only serving to increase everyone else's worry.

Veemon pointed skyward, "Is it me or is the sky getting darker?"

Angelus's jaw dropped, "Oh boy." 

"What is it Angelus." Palmon tugged on his jeans in desperation as a nearby building collapsed in on itself, Jun shrieked and it was up to the nearby Matt to shield her from the falling masonry. The DigiDestined and Digimon fled into a nearby plaza seemed to have been all but levelled it was obviously where Devimon had first attacked, shattered phone boxes and compressed cars were deposited all over the area.

Angelus finally managed to yell over the noise, "If my scrambled memory is correct we're coming up to total Unification!"

"What?!" 

"We've got about 5 hours to find the Keymaster guy who tried to send TK to the big beyond and FAST."

"What about having to free us from Toei?" Hawkmon cried, as he helped Yolei stay upright as another explosion rocked the area. 

Angelus shook his head rapidly, "That doesn't matter! We were wrong, it was never because of that. It's the Keymaster we need to stop, he could be anywhere and as long as he lives the true worlds will continue to merge. Killing him halts the process then Ben and I will perform the Rebirth ritual with the Golden DigiEggs to separate them all again. After that we can release you guys from this world's influence."

A jet of high-powered steam shot a series of manhole covers skywards, Ben held Mimi to him to keep her upright. Cody clung onto Armadillomon as the circles of harden steel landed with audible clangs around them, all thankfully missing Digimon and Human alike.

"But the Keymaster could be anywhere." He yelled.

"On the contrary, SHE could be HERE." Myotismon said looking away to their left.

"Huh?"

"How do you know it's a she Myotismon?" Ben grabbed the ultimate by the elbow, and the vampire pointed an accusing finger.

"Because she's IS here."

A spirit like Yamashita stepped forward, an aura of cloud and darkness surrounding him the once stout man now had a pair of lifeless black pools for eyes, flesh hung from his body he was literally a walking, or levitating corpse.

**"FOOLISH CHILDREN..."** This Über-Yamashita boomed, **"DO YOU THINK YOU CAN SIMPLY STOP ME JUST LIKE THAT."** The voice was menacing but indeed was unmistakably female.

"Who are you?" Tai demanded.

**"I AM THE ETERNAL."**

"Well that's good to know... I'm sure we can get you some nice cards printed up." Angelus growled, drawing his sword. Ben snarled and moved his staff into an attacking posture, the undulating golden sphere atop the wooden pole glowed a deep crimson in warning.

"You're the cause of all this aren't you." The Traveller accused, the Yamashita creature scoffed.

**"A PATHETIC QUESTION FROM A PATHETIC CREATURE TRYING TO BE MORE THAN HE IS."**

"A pathetic reply from something that hasn't even got it's own body." Angelus' eyes narrowed.

**"YOUR WIT HASN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE WE LAST MET, STILL AS SHARP AS A DISHMOP."**

"Who are you, really?" Angelus asked, "What are you?"

**"I AM THE KEYMASTER AND YOUR DEMISE STARTS HERE."** The Keymaster thrust it's hand outward and three sphere's of blue power slammed into the chests of the two chosen ones knocking them back and through a shop window. They crashed through a display of instant soups and landed with a pair of groans, their heads hitting against a wall a sickening thud.

"Ben!"

"Angelus!"

"Urrrghh..."

The Keymaster smirked, and turned towards the DigiDestined, **"MWAH HA HA! WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE TO DO NOW CHILDREN?"**

Angelus managed to get to his feet, before a barrage of images flooded his skull. 

* * *

_This isn't right...._

_I must remember. I MUST._

_Something's missing, I-I can remember the first Unification we weren't strong enough to defeat her. She was sealed away, but she couldn't possibly escape as she was..._

_Her body isn't here..._

_WHO IS THE KEYMASTER? I... CAN'T.... REMEMBER...._

* * *

"You're... just a spirit. Nothing... more..."

**"WE SHALL SEE, MAYBE YOUR FRIENDS WILL PROVE MORE OF A CHALLENGE."** Über-Yamashita chuckled, then discharged another sphere of power into Angelus sending him sprawling into a large and heavy freezer.

Matt glared at the Keymaster, "Just you try it!"

"Oh Matt don't get yourself hurt!"

"Oh man." Matt muttered as Jun latched onto his arm.

Tai changed the subject by yelling out "Go get him guys."

"Right!" The DigiDestined chorused

"Agumon - WARP DIGIVOLVE TO...."

"Gabumon - WARP DIGIVOLVE TO..."

"Patamon - WARP DIGIVOLVE TO..."

"...WarGreymon!"

"...MetalGarurumon!"

"...Seraphimon!"

On the floor of the small supermarket outlet, Angelus cried out in pain his body contorting as his DX pulsed with light.

"Is this wise?" Kari cried hanging on to TK as the three Mega level Digimon deflected a series of blue spheres. "Aren't we gonna put a hell of a strain on Angelus and Ben's energy bond with us?"

TK held his arm in front of his face to shield it from the dust being blown up by the firefight, the keeper of Hope shrugged. "We don't have any choice."

Gatomon bounced over to Kari, "Can I get him? Her? Whatever?"

"Very well, go get it!" Kari held her D3 in the air and a beam of light came from the shop and Angelus to strike it dead centre.

"Lets see if Jasmine was right about that extra boost - Gatomon digivolve to... Angewomon... ANGEWOMON MEGA DIGIVOLVE TOO..... MAGNADRAMON!!!"

* * *

_Spirit... no, cannot be. Must have had help._

_Can't remember, but must..._

_What's missing?_

_Why am I in such - pain?_

_Keymaster... Gatekeeper... Keymaster... Gatekeeper... Keymaster... Gatekeeper... Keymaster... Gatekeeper... Keymaster... Gatekeeper... Keymaster... Gatekeeper..._

_They, they cannot defeat her! _

* * *

"No." Angelus tried dragging himself towards the shop doors, Ben was up with the help of his staff but very dizzy. A trickle of red was coming from the Traveller's left eyebrow. "Stop." He tried to call out but to no avail as it came out as but a whisper, enough for Ben to hear though.

Ben winced as he touched his head wound, then heard Angelus' words. "What is it Wingy?" He hobbled over to the fallen Gatekeeper.

"Something's not right." Was all he could say as Ben tried to help him up.

"Seven Heavens!"

"Fire Tornado!"

"Terra Force!"

"Ice Wolf Bite!"

**"AHHH!"** The Keymaster cried out in pain as a series of missiles hit her body, the creature hissed through it's teeth and backed away a bit.

Davis whooped, "Come on we've got him!"

"Myotismon." Ben, who had half-dragged himself and Angelus out into the open again turned to his Digimon partner. "Digivolve and help them out."

"Are you sure?" The ultimate asked raising a red-masked eyebrow.

Ben looked stunned, "What do you mean 'are you sure'? Go ahead and do it!"

Myotismon grinned wickedly, "Just thought I'd make sure. Myotismon... MEGA DIGIVOLVE TOO... Azarelmon!"

"WHAT IS THIS?" The Keymaster looked genuinely surprised by Myotismon's digivolution.

"This?" Ben smiled despite the pain of his energy bond, which now only seemed to extend to Sora and Biyomon. "You're about to be judged."

"...." From seemingly out of nowhere Azarelmon produced a sphere of white light, then turned towards the other Mega Digimon. The Keymaster grinned almost knowingly and laughed.

**"FOOLS."**

"What the?" Joe gawped.

"What's Azarelmon doing?"

"Azarelmon!?" Ben cried out as Azarelmon dedigivolved into Myotismon, yet the vampire still held a somewhat smaller version of the white orb. "What's going on?"

"You really think I would join you?" Myotismon taunted, then backhanded Ben across the face. "Idiots, I am to be lord of all worlds that will be bathed in darkness. It is my destiny." 

"You betrayed us!" WarGreymon growled, stepping forward with MetalGarurumon.

"You forget that prophecy of yours." Myotismon chastised.

"You will be betrayed..." Angelus muttered.

"Indeed Gatekeeper." Myotismon smiled a fang-toothed smile, "Someone's missing from our company." With that he raised the orb above his head and hurled it into the centre of the group of Seraphimon, Magnadramon, MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon. "Judgement lifted."

"Oh my God.... GET BACK!" Joe cried as the ball hit the ground and exploded, flinging Digimon and DigiDestined in all directions.

"Aaaah!"

"Patamon!"

"Agumon!"

"Gabumon!"

"Gatomon!"

All four Digimon were back to rookie (or champion in Gato's case) and were unconscious, but worse than that was what stood where the ball had landed.

"It's good to be able to stretch my claws again..." Dragomon said laughing, "And on that subject - TENTACLE CLAW!"  


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: Who will survive this deadly face-off? Who is the true Keymaster and what has the Harbingers, Myotismon, Yamashita and Angelus got to do with her? Will the three worlds of the Human world, DigiDestined World and Digital World merge and be covered by evil and darkness??? It's a fight to the death, Gatekeeper versus Keymaster in the next Unification climaxing chapter of Digimon: Reality Redux!!!!!  
_

**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... for a nominal fee." : **http://www.geocities.com/happy_hylian/**


	28. Digipocalypse Now Part I: Ligatus :AAUK...

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_AAUK: Well here it is, the Keymaster is about to be revealed!  
DC: Who is it.  
AAUK: Read the damn thing and find out.... tsk... Anyways we do not own Digimon just this copy of Davis Motomiya's 'Yoga Noodle Masterclass'.  
DC: Hey can i borrow that?  
AAUK: ..._

**Chapter 28 - Digipocalypse Now (Part 1): Ligatus**

Where the four Mega level Digimon had stood a crater now marked the spot, scattered around it were the injured bodies of Gatomon, Patamon, Agumon and Gabumon. As Dragomon withdrew his claw from the road TK, Tai, Kari and Matt made a run for their partners, gathering their injured friends into their arms they managed to scramble back to the main group as Aquillamon, ExVeemon and Garudamon gave cover.

"Kari..." Gatomon whimpered curling up into a ball, the girl pushed one of her bangs behind her ear out of the way as she looked down on her friend.

"I'm here Gatomon, ssh, I'm here."

"Is P-Patamon o-okay?"

"I'm sure he's fine."

"Where is he?"

"TK?"

"Over here!"

"Where's Patamon?"

"With me, he's not so good." TK called, looking down at the little orange Digimon who was smothered in red grazes. "You get better Patamon."

"Where's Gatomon?" The little Digimon squeaked, concerned eyes straining to see in the direction Kari's voice had come from.

"You're just as bad as each other you two." TK grinned and delicately picked Patamon up, then ran to where Kari was. "Here you go, easy now." TK placed the two friends next to each other, there was mutual checking if the other was okay before Kari realised Dragomon and Myotismon were unaffected by the attacks being thrown at them.

"What's happening? Why isn't it doing any damage?"

"Blast Rings!"

"V-Laser!"

"Wing Blade!"

"It's no good!" Davis cried out as the final attack like the others preceding it failed to make the slightest bit of difference. Everyone looked on in awe as Dragomon and Myotismon lashed out claws, tentacles and limbs in all directions sending every Digimon still standing straight back to the rookie level.

"How the hell?" Sora said, cradling Biyomon's dazed form in his lap but the question it seems would not be answered as the two Digimon turned to face each other. Each seemed to smile at the same time, though it was difficult to discern whether Dragomon was smiling with that big squid-like face of his. Both seemed oblivious to the DigiDestined below them, they were nothing to them now, less than nothing. The children who had bothered them for so long were now merely leftovers, ants waiting to be crushed beneath their feet. 

Meanwhile two figures stood, somehow, at the entrance of what remained of a small Japanese shop, small bits of glass were stuck to their clothes, one wore a ripped leather coat, the other was bleeding from a cut above his eyebrow and stooped to pick up a staff of a rich dark wood.

Ben felt dizzy, everything seemingly kept crash zooming in and out, and he felt as though his lungs were full of bees or wasps. His chest was a mass of pins and needles, it hurt to breath and the cut above his eye was swelling and stung like the blazes.

"What's going on?" He croaked; the Digimon were trying to get up as best as they could some were trying to Digivolve again with mixed success. They were cowering though; their partners were trying to drag them away but a mixture of fear and courage kept them from moving. It was at this moment that the possessed human previously known as Yamashita chose to speak.

"The time... Has finally come."

A cloud of data shot out of Yamashita's mouth and the decaying remains of the portly former Toei executive hit the floor, turning to dust in seconds. The data cloud whirled around the Myotismon & Dragomon, protecting them from anything that might attempt an attack.

"Our task is complete." Myotismon smiled a fang-toothed smile, "And our destiny is assured."

"This... Can't be good." Angelus murmured, struggling to get the words out.

"Since when is it ever good?!" Ben grumbled and began pulling the Gatekeeper roughly in the direction of Mimi and Cody. "Can you see properly?"

"No."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Not particularly."

"Oh goody."

"What's that light?" Angelus blinked and held up a hand to ward off the brightness, Ben looked confused as the cloud began to rotate faster.

"What light?" Suddenly Angelus's head snapped backwards, and he was no longer on Ben's shoulder. "What the fudge nuggets?"

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Angelus looked around in confusion, he was back in a bank of white cloud and his shoulders slumped as an all too familiar figure came into sight. "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore..." 

_"Our time grows short."_ Gatekeeper said, floating a good two feet in the air.

_"This isn't the best of times for a chat you know."_ Angelus growled as Archangel ran up and skidded to a halt beside the warrior angel, after a couple of puffs for air the other version of Angelus nodded.

_"No it isn't."_ He too glowered at Gatekeeper, _"This certainly wasn't my doing."_

_"This foe,"_ Gatekeeper began, _ "Isn't like anything you've faced before - it is beyond you all. The only thing that can defeat it is the one thing you refuse to accept, that which you have partly denied."_

_"...What????"_

_"Only the Gatekeeper can defeat the Keymaster in battle, with the aide of a Traveller. To do so however you must embrace that which you have partly denied."_

_"Meaning?"_

_"Me."_ Archangel blinked at Gatekeeper as though he had grown an extra head.

_"You said you... I mean me."_

_"We are aware of this."_ Gatekeeper said coldly reverting back to his plural speaking.

_"I have to embrace you?"_ Angelus sweat dropped and his eyebrows rose dangerously high up his forehead.

_"Yes."_

_"Look not... now okay..."_

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Angelus flashed a couple of times then re-materialised on Ben's shoulder, the Traveller tore his eyes away from the two evil Digimon and focused on his friend. "What the hell happened there?"

"Not now..." Angelus muttered, then realised where he was. Ben looked down at him totally puzzled. "Gatekeeper - don't ask."

"I won't."

Suddenly sparks began to fly from the data cloud and a strange noise filled the air, it was the sound of a scream, a bone-shattering scream. It was followed rapidly by two voices.

"Ready?" Dragomon asked cautiously, the vampire nodded.

"Myotismon!"

"Dragomon!"

"DARK DNA DIGIVOLVE TOO...

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

  
_Ben? Ben?_

_Mother?_

_The time for your Ascension has will soon come._

_Ascension?_

_You will become the Prime Traveller - The Alzari. You must aide the Gatekeeper in the upcoming conflict._

_What must I do?_

_Be yourself... and hope Angelus can still be himself._

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Another swarm of data appeared and smashed into the first cloud, penetrating it and the merging forms of Dragomon and Myotismon. A maddened chuckle rang through the deserted streets and everyone stared wide-eyed at the glowing form now in the centre of the original data mass.

"Who's that." Cody whispered, Angelus and Ben finally stumbled over and fell in a heap beside him, Ben clutched at his ribs and closed his eyes in pain. Angelus held himself up by a hand to look at the new figure, his features twisted into a snarl as he took in the newcomer and realised who it was just as two voices now a singular voice called out it's name in triumph.

"...PIEDMON!"

**_"WHAT?"_** Was the chorus of the DigiDestined as the clown floated out of his protective cocoon and to a position above the chosen children.

"Oh it's so good to be myself again... And lookee here everyone's grown up so much!" He looked around at Ken, Davis, Yolei and Cody in turn and gave a beaming smile. "And new friends! Oh this is wonderful!"

"What do you want!" Ken demanded, stepping in front of Yolei with Wormmon at his heel.

"Are you the Keymaster?" Tai demanded, the clown blinked hard and looked towards Kari.

"Never the brightest one was he."

"HEY!" Tai yelled, but Piedmon didn't take any notice.

"Key chain master perhaps." Piedmon laughed, holding a hand to his face to try and stifle it. "No, I am not the Keymaster, let me introduce her though."

"Ben! Get them out of here!" Angelus yanked on the Traveller's sleeve.

"What?" Ben said loudly, "Hello, we need all the help we can get!"

Piedmon roared triumphantly as the cloud that had come out of the remains of Yamashita glowed a deep red then forced it's way into the manic clown. His eyes immediately glowed the same shade and intensity of colour an evil booming laugh echoed around the deserted streets of Tokyo.

"That voice wasn't Piedmon's." Izzy said in awe.

"The who's was it then?" Davis demanded.

"How the hell should I know!"

"You're the brains of the outfit!"

"Davis." Tentomon buzzed, "Belt up!"

The Gatekeeper continued to plead with Ben to transport the others away but still he would not do it.

"Why?"

"Now's not the time for questions!"

"Alright, alright." Ben raised his staff and the golden sphere atop it flared brightly. Angelus looked around at he spectacular sight - of nothing happening.

"It's not working." Ben said aghast and growled at the staff banging it against the side of a lamppost.

"What do you mean it's not working?" Angelus grabbed him by the collar, "I ask you to do ONE thing and you're telling me it's _not_ working?"

"I dunno, maybe the batteries are dead. Stupid thing."

Piedmon's cry of triumph/ecstasy resumed as the mega Digimon seemed to grow bigger, shooting up 20 feet in a matter of seconds.

"My god!" Izzy's laptop was going into meltdown.

"What now?" Mimi whined, as the rest of the DigiDestined rejoined the main group.

"This is... impossible." Izzy stammered, "He's digivolving again!"

"But he's a mega! There isn't anything ABOVE mega!" Tai yelled at the Barer of Knowledge, Izzy growled and shoved him away, almost two metres backwards.

"What the hell do you think _**I**_ thought!"

The growing harlequin Digimon was now far too big for the space it had occupied and it was pushing over several buildings. There was a shower of sparks as the red glow came into contact with steel and concrete, debris from the collision rained downwards thankfully nowhere near the DigiDestined. A sickening groan could be heard as the top half fell and then the bottom half collapsed underneath it, Yolei, Jun, Kari and Mimi screamed as a cloud of dust rapidly flew towards them along the ground. Matt shielded Jun as the wave of dust slammed into them, TK had pulled Kari and Mimi back round behind the wall where the injured Patamon and Gatomon were. Ken dived on top of Yolei to protect her whilst the others were able to shelter behind various street objects. The collapse/implosion of the building, a thankfully long ago deserted office block for the Toyota motor company had caught Ben and Angelus out in the open. Both had been blown back off of their feet but had since struggled back upright for the second time, Ben was now all but dragging the Gatekeeper forward.

"Ben!" Joe left his position with Sora and ran out to help the two back behind the remains of a series of phone boxes. They made it with some difficulty, Ben and Angelus had a variety of injuries - the Traveller was still bleeding from the cut on his head, the Gatekeeper's wings seemed lifeless and the white feathers were stained red in places from an injury somewhere or the other.

"Angelus, are you okay?" Sora held her boyfriend upright, putting pressure on the gash along his cheek.

"Oh, hey beautiful." Angelus managed, "Where's Ben?"

"I'm here Wingy."

"What's going on?" Izzy cried as he flung himself beside them, Piedmon had seemingly stopped growing but was now pulsing with the same red glow the cloud had possessed previously.

"Hybrid digivolution." Angelus announced, gingerly getting onto his knees.

"What the hell is Hybrid Digivolution?" Sora tried to keep Angelus still while she replaced the cloth on his face.

"The level above mega, it comes from Digimon Frontier. That's well, two TV series after yours."

"You actually remember something from Frontier?" Ben asked, sneaking a peek at the static Piedmon.

"Oh shut up. It's a slow process, not like Warp Digivolving and as Piedmon's merging with that cloud I'm assuming it's even slower. We haven't got long though, you DigiDestined guys need to get as far back as you can."

"What are you going to do?" Gomamon asked, "Come on we can take this guy, we can help!"

"There's nothing really you can do, it's up to us."

"Whoaaaa there!" Ben said putting his hands up in a 'timeout' signal, "US????"

"Yes."

"No way!"

"I can't do it on my own."

"You fought through a whole army of Scubamon on your own."

"You forget I had a bloody great axe and they surprisingly moved out of the way sharpish when they saw me swoop down with it."

"Still..." Ben began but was cut off by the booming voice of Piedmon.

**"PIEDMON HYBRID DIGIVOLVE TOO... ARNAKMON!"**

"Arnakmon?" Sora choked as the red glow dissipated revealing a massive arachnid-like creature, towering over everything with eight red and black stripped legs a bulberous body and a head featuring a set of mandibles and at the same time two fanged teeth. Eight purple eyes shone outwards through the dusty gloom.

"Of course." Angelus said, "It all makes sense."

"It does?" Gomamon asked Joe, "Since when did THAT happen."

**"Gaaaaaaaaatekeeper." **Arnakmon's voice was more snakelike than Angelus expected, the Keymaster smiled (as such) at him. **"How nice to finally lay eyeeeeeeeees on you again."**

"Ah crap." Angelus muttered and drew his sword from the sheath hidden behind his coat. Ben pulled himself upwards and joined Angelus in a rather un-nerving staring match with the Keymaster.

"Who is that?" Ben hissed, sensing he was in the dark about something.

"That is the Keymaster, or perhaps it should be Keymistress in this P.C age?"

**"I like the old style besssst."** Arnakmon laughed, **"I am that which you cannot defeat."**

"Arnakmon - the creature me and Jasmine fought, the Digimon Gennai told us about was the Keymaster after all. We could only seal Arnakmon away, your mother and I and now she is free." Angelus finished.

**"Ah, Jasmine'ssssssssss progeny and the progeny of the Alzari." **Arnakmon finally realised who Ben was, her eight eyes focused on the glowing staff in the Traveller's grip.

"What of it?"

"What's Alzari?" Angelus whispered to Ben.

"Ask me later." 

**"Is thisssssss all there isssss to stop me? A washed up Angelite and a boy pretending to be a man - ha, let ussss find out how fight rusty you really are Gatekeeper."**

"Angelus!" Sora ran out beside the two, the Gatekeeper looked at the DigiDestined girl annoyed.

"Sora get back."

"But..."

"Take cover, you can do no more here." Ben ordered shaking his head.

"We've done so little though."

"Well it will have to do. This is between her and us now, it's always been his way - always between us."

**"Yesssss Sora, always betweeeeen usssssssssss."**

"Take care, and good luck." Sora kissed them both on the cheek before being dragged back by Biyomon.

"Go get 'em guys!" Davis cried out raucously, as the others took adequate safe vantage points.

Angelus readied his sword, "Well, this is it."

"You have a plan right?"

"Of course." Angelus grinned, "It consists of two parts."

"What's part one?"

"1) Kill it."

"And two?" Ben tightened the grip on his staff.

"2) Don't get killed in the process."

"Sounds good to me, good luck Angelus."

"Good luck Ben."

Then, with sword and staff raised the Gatekeeper and the Traveller charged...  


_To Be Continued...._

* * *

_Sora: The battle is joined! Who will triumph and if Ben and Angelus do will they be in time to stop Unification? It's a fight to the finish in the next chapter of Digimon: Reality Redux!_

_****__ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... by forceable extraction." : ****


	29. Digipocalypse Now Part II: Veritas :AAU...

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_AAUK: This is a disclaimer of the disclaimer, I have no responsibilities of it's content or the content of previous disclaimers or disclaimers of disclaimers which would result in disclaimers2.  
DC: *blinks* WHAT?  
AAUK: Nor have we seen Season 4 so if any information is inaccurate in chapter 28 *shrugs*._

**Chapter 29 - Digipocalypse Now (Part 2): Veritas**

Arnakmon loomed above the Traveller and the Gatekeeper, and an expression of amusement passed across her face, as far as anyone could tell. With the worlds merging, she was becoming stronger by the minute as her unique abilities came into play. On the ground below, Angelus and Ben were completing the short gap remaining between them and the Keymaster. It's eight legs, each thicker than either of the Chosen Ones, were the only available targets, at least until Angelus was significantly recovered to fly. 

It was akin to the Charge of the Light Brigade, Ben couldn't help feeling. The cut on his forehead had started to seep blood into his eyes, and his chest burned. He had a feeling that it was probably going to get a lot worse in a very short space of time. To his side, Angelus swung a heavy blow at the immense leg in front of him. That was oddthe leg seemed to shimmer for a moment, and then the blade went straight through, without harming the limb at all.

Did you see that? he demanded of the Gatekeeper.

I saw it, but I don't believe it! he shouted back, dodging to the side to avoid being crushed under an immense foot. My sword did nothing!

Not that! The light! 

What light? Angelus took another swing. There was another glow of white, no. The light was there all the time, but he hadn't been able to see it through his pain.

_How could Angelus not see it?_ Ben stumbled over to the side and took a swing at the nearest leg. The golden orb changed into a blade shape atop the staff a second before the blow connected, slicing clean through the leg just like Angelus's sword had done.

Ben stopped, wiped his eyes clear, and frowned. We may have a problem here.

**YOU GOT THAT ONE RIIIGHT.** The sneering Keymaster laughed, before batting them both aside. Angelus wrapped his wings around himself as best he could to protect his body, crashing into, and through, a storefront window. Ben was sent knocked in the opposite direction, landing hard on the pavement and tumbling forward. 

He muttered, then made his way back up to his knees, propping himself on the Traveller staff. His vision wavered, this was not the time to black out. Ben had always had a very simple philosophy on life – he knew that all he'd ever wanted was to have some fun before he died. And now it looked very much like he was about to die, and he wasn't having any fun at all. He took another breath, and started to walk forward again. 

Angelus pushed his way out from under the display he'd landed in, breathing heavily. If only they'd been in better shape! But the recent events had taken their toll, and neither of them was really in any shape to do what they now had to. Not that they had a choice. 

"I hate glass." He muttered, shaking the stray shards from his feathers and reaching for his DX. "What is this thing?"

"Arnakmon." The device replied, Angelus blinked and shook it a few times before it decided to state more than the blatently obvious. "Level: Hybrid, Type: Unknown, best match as Angelic Virus."

"Angelic Virus?" The Gatekeeper looked up as best as he could as Ben charged yet again, swiping his now spear-esque staff at Arnakmon's legs again with little success. "Of course, that makes sense. If I'm on the side of good traditionally that would make me a vaccine, the opposite of a virus. Yet she is not a demon but an Angel, an _Angel_ if that is what I am and what she is how could an Angel be like this?"

"Abilities: Specifics unknown, boasts an ability to manipulate reality."

"Of course. That's why we can't hit her!"

"A little help here?" Ben's voice called out as he ducked a swinging appendage that sliced through a lamp post behind him only inches above where his head was.

"Then how can we defeat her?"

"Insufficent data to extrapulate."

"What the hell does that mean???"

"Explanation: Insufficent data to extrapulate."

The whiteness. It was still there, permeating the Gatekeeper, trying to cover him or shield him from that which was going on. It hurt, good God it hurt, his senses seemed like they were actually on fire but he recognised the presence trying to influence him. It was the trait he recognised simply as 'Gatekeeper', there was no sign of 'Archangel' yet he heard three voices in his thoughts. One was his, one Gatekeeper's, one of something else.

**_Cannot..._**

_You cannot..._

**_We cannot..._**.

_We must..._

**_Me._**

_Embrace me._

**_Embrace the truth._**

_What I am._

**_What we are._**

_"Gatekeeper?"_

_We are Gatekeeper._

_"What is the Gatekeeper?"_

_**Opposite.**_

_Opposite of that which is Keymaster yet from the same fabric._

_**Cut.**_

_Cut from the same cloth._

**_We must destroy._**

_"No. I am not what you claim I am."_

_Gatekeeper is what came before all._

**_Before time._**

_Before space_.

_**Before reality**_.

_Before the Three._

_"Before the Three?"_

**_That which was created at the dawn and shall exist to the end of it all._**

_To be Gatekeeper is to be that force._

_**It is primal.**_

_Vicious._

_**That primal nature is in your heart.**_

_Your very being._

**_It resides in your core._**

_It is you._

**_These beings, your friends are as nothing to you._**

_A drop in the ocean._

**_A blink of an eye._**

_"Untrue."_

_Humanity? Pitiful._

**_The DigiDestined - Tiresome._**

_The Traveller species - Nothing.  
_

**_DESTROY!_**

_"NO!"_

_You have the power to rip apart the cosmos!_

_"I refuse. I like the cosmos the way it is thank you."_

_**Someone's lying to you.**_

_"Who?"_

_Link with me and find out._

_"Leave. Me. ALONE!"_

_**EMBRACE THE TRUTH.**_

_"Your truth you mean."_

_My Truth, our Truth, the Truth._

**_You will understand._**

_Our way._

**_The way._**

_"NO way."_

_Refusal is not an option, it is what you are._

_**Accept or fail.**_

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD YOU SON OF A..."

**"YOU CAN'T DO IT TOGETHER, EITHER."** Gloated Arnakmon, then lifted Ben above the ground in one titanic claw, till he was on the level with those monstrous eyes. **"YOU AREN'T THE ALZARI YET." **She sneered, before flinging him away again. Ben closed his eyes in panic, and thrust his arms around his head as a primitive form of defence, not that he thought it would do any good. Then was a thud as he made contact with something, and he opened his eyes in shock. None of his bones were shattered by the contact, which was sort of what he'd been expecting. Then he realised that whatever he'd collided with was still there, but he was still moving, judging by the wind he felt all around him. He opened his eyes.

"You've got to be careful!" Admonished a familiar voice. Lilymon? He blinked. But how was that possible? All the Digimon had taken a severe beating! How had she found the strength? His eyes narrowed, and he looked around at the buildings near him. Sure enough, there was a familiar figure a short distance away, who nodded to himself (literally) then disappeared from view. Lilymon glowed for a moment. "I'm Dedigivolving!" 

"Don't worry." Ben said confidently. 

"Don't worry? I think now is the time to worry!" 

"We're lower down now, and we're moving slower! We'll survive!" 

Angelus screamed, and screamed again, clutching at his head as the conflict within him teetered on the edge. Joltingly, he pulled himself together, standing shakily. Gatekeeper had come close that time, and Angelus didn't know if he could stop him a second time. But now was not the time for such introspection. He focused on the immediate situation, cursing. 

"Why can't I remember how we did this last time?" 

_"He's keeping it from you."_ This was a different voice. Not the blank tones of the Gatekeeper, but the concerned, angered tones of Archangel. _"He's stronger than me. He's keeping the memory from you in the hope that he can force you to join with him. He doesn't think like me... Like you, like us. Be very careful with him, Angelus. He'll stoop to anything in order to achieve his ultimate goals, and if he overwhelms you, or if you choose him, I'll be gone. You'll shrug off all of your human aspects – Mortality, age, hatred, compassion and love. All of that, the Gatekeeper is purpose, and purpose alone. I don't know what happens then." _Angelus got the impression that deep within his psyche, his mortal soul was laughingly ruefully. _"I'm only human. But then, I suppose that's exactly it, isn't it?" _

Ben was growing increasingly angry, although it didn't show on the surface. Ben was one of those people that were hardly ever affected outwardly by insults and events, preferring to store it all inside him where he could deal with it over time. But now, the lake of rage was flooding in his mind – all the little things were adding up, and he was about to die, and everything that had happened recently was the fault of Arnakmon. He would get revenge even if the cost were his own life. He knew what he could do, but could he do it in time? Not on his own, that much was certain.

  
"Joe." He croaked through a raw throat and a bleeding mouth. The DigiDestined of Reliability hurried over, his medical training urging him to hurry. "I need to get something, but I need you to help me get there and back in time. It's this way." Joe draped one of Ben's arms over his shoulders, taking some of the weight off his feet. They started to walk.

"Ben?"

"Y...Yeah?" 

"Why did you want me?" Ben was silent for a moment. 

"I want to ask you something." 

"Go ahead." 

"I want you to promise, if... If anything happens..." Joe waited patiently. "...I want you to look after Mimi, ok?" A lump came to Joe's throat unbidden. It was clear that the teenager did not expect to survive. 

"I promise." He choked. Ben gave him a weakened smile. 

"Good man. We're here." Ben pulled himself away and staggered over to the skip they now faced, and pulled something out of it. It was about six feet long, and made of dark wood. Runes covered its surface and a golden orb topped it - the Exodus staff. Ben smiled grimly. 

"This should do it." As he touched both staffs, the memories came unbidden to his mind. Aeth giving him this one, claiming it was the staff of the first Traveller, and Angelus and Sora declaring the same of theirs. As he looked at them, he realised something. 

They were all wrong. 

With a detached air, pain shooting up his arm, Ben touched the orb atop one to its mate on the other. There was a brief flicker of light. When it cleared, Ben only held one staff. But where the orbs had been golden, the orb surmounting this staff was crystalline. The sigils on the wood shifted restlessly until, one by one, they seemed to find their places, where they lay still. Had Joe been able to read them, he would have seen the inscription. 

"He shall know the universe, but shall not know himself." Quoted Ben, running his eyes along it.. 

"Ben?" Joe said hesitantly. The figure in front of him tore his eyes from the staff, and looked at him. 

"Perhaps. For now." 

"What does that mean?" Asked the DigiDestined of Reliability, but Ben just smiled… and disappeared.

He reappeared next to the screaming Angelus, who was busy staggering around holding his head and shielding his ears from some imaginary enemy.

"Angelus!" He snapped, "Snap out of it."

"Rrrraaaaaaaagh!" Angelus' eyes bulged and for a moment became entirely white, Ben stepped back in surprise.

"Come on mate, we need to kill the Keymaster."

"Keymassssssssssssssssssssterrrrrrrrrr."  Angelus hissed in a worryingly serpentine way, Ben blinked.

"Yes, come on. I've got the staff and half an idea but I need you to get your head together."

**"HE ISSSSS TO FAR GONE TRAVELLER."**  Arnakmon chuckled, and then hurled the front end of a Toyota at the youths.

"What is happening to him?"  Ben demanded, after diving out of the way.

**"HE ISSSSS SSSSSSSSSUCUMBING TO THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE POWER WITHIN HIM.  HE CANNOT CONTROL IT."**

"Oh fantastic."  
  
Angelus staggered around in a circle before fixing his eyes on Arnakmon. "Keeeeeeeeeeymassssster."

**"GATEKEEPER."**

"You ssssshall be destroyed."

**"YOU'RE DESTROYING YOURSELF, I HAVE NO NEED TO FIGHT YOU."**

"You have no choiAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHGH."  Angelus screamed again, the whiteness in his eyes flared briefly and was gone along with the aura had been surrounding him.

**"NO…. IT CANNOT BE!"**

Angelus grinned, "Oh I beg to disagree."

"Are you back now?"

"Yes." Angelus replied then pushed Ben out of the way as Arnakmon threw the other Toyota half at them.  They ducked into another shop and hid behind the counter, drawing breath and planning their next move.

"Great! Well I have a plan."

"What?"

"You nip to Hyrule, get the Megaton Hammer come back here and wallop it."

"That's your plan?"

"You have a better one? God schmod." Ben said, putting his hands on his hips.  "If I was to hit it with a big enough hammer it'd still die."

"Chaos."

"What?"

"Chaos."

"This is no time to discus Robot Wars Angelus!"

"No, not Chaos 2 - Chaos GATES!" Angelus smiled and his compatriot did too.

"I don't get it."  Angelus rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Just give me your staff."

"**COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!"**  Arnakmon replied then reduced the building to rubble.  There was a pause, then out of the dust and debris walked the chosen two confidently towards the Keymaster.  **"ARE YOU READY TO DIE NOW?"**

"One question." Angelus said, "You do you propose to kill us when your body is turned inside out and back to front?"

Arnakmon froze and watched as Ben lowered his staff globe downwards at Angelus' feet.  **"NO!"**  She shrieked but it was too late by then, Angelus pointed his sword down and thrust it into the golden globe atop the Traveller Staff.

"Chaos Gate OPEN."

A deafening roar filled their ears as a Chaos Gate in front of Arnakmon, the red swirling vortex began to slowly pull Arnakmon in, but then a second appeared behind her.

**"NOOO I SSSSHALLL NOT BE DEFEATED!"**

Angelus and Ben concentrated, their own power coursing through them into the twisting or that send electricity shooting through the ground.  A third Chaos Gate appeared, and a fourth and a fifth and a sixth - until ten Chaos Gates surrounded Arnakmon each pulling her in a different direction.  She screamed a last defiant scream then her data simply fell apart as it was ripped asunder by the different gates pulled into the never-ending oblivion of the Chaos Plane for all eternity, never to return.  
  
A brief flare of purple caught Angelus's eye and he instinctively raised his hand, a ball of energy zipped into it then disappeared into him.  Ben looked up and nodded as the last of Arnakmon's data vanished and the Gatekeeper with a great heave tugged the sword free from the staff.  There was a huge explosion as the gates collapsed in on themselves and the pair collapsed in a heap from the abrupt release.

Silence descended on Tokyo.

"Ben?"

"Yes?"

"Are you alive?"

"I think so?"

"Am I?"

"Well we're either one or the other."

"Hmm."

"I think… we're still here."

"Oh."

"Arnakmon's gone."

"Jolly good."  Angelus tried to get up, finding it rather difficult to do so. "Looks like we won then."

"I… suppose we did."

"…"

"…"

**_"ALL RIGHT!"_** They chorused and began dancing around in joy, amazed that they had somehow survived a fight to the death with the most powerful creature on three worlds. The others came over and begun whooping up their victory, lots of hugging, patting backs and shaking hands went on.

"You sent her to the Chaos Plain?" Ken asked, seemingly in disbelief.

"Yup."  She won't bother the Three ever again.

"She is dead though right?" Patamon said frowning, Angelus winked.

"Hell yeah."

"I do have another question."  Gatomon said, licking a paw. "What was that thing that flew into you?"

"I think it was the Keymaster powers.  As the victor I suppose I gain the abilities of my nemesis, to help alter reality within Rebirth."

"Oh."

"Speaking of Rebirth we need to hurry, the Temple of Light is on Infinity Mountain and that's where we have to go." Angelus was cut off by a terrible rumbling noise; bits began falling off buildings as the ground shook.  In the distance the Tokyo Tower fell, as something seemed to push it's way out of the ground underneath it.

"Oh well."  Ben sighed despondently, "At least we won't have far to go now."

It was Infinity Mountain.

The final stages of Total Unification had begun. 

* * *

_Sora: Can the chosen two figure out the mystery of Rebirth before Total Unification destroys the Three true worlds?! Find out next in another decisive chapter of Redux I: Reality Redux!_

_****__ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... ohhhh we INSIST." : ****


	30. Angels of the Rebirth :AAUK:

**Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon, just this life size replica of the Hindenberg, three yards of elastic, two ejector seats one of which doesn't work, eight spoons of different sizes and cutlery sets and a bottle of shark eyes covered in strawberry jam._

**Chapter 30 - Angels Of The Rebirth**

"This is bad, very bad." The Gatekeeper observed.

"Nooooooo you think?" Davis said sarcastically and Angelus glowered at him, wondering to himself if it was possible to do what he was thinking of doing to Davis with those stupid goggles on his head. For the purposes of not harming poor little innocent minds like Cody's, (okay so Cody was a bad example but nevertheless) he decided against it as it would probably be a NC-17 moment he didn't really want to implement. So Yolei clopped him around the head instead.

Indeed it was bad, for you see Angelus, Ben and their friends were now apparently standing in front of Infinity Mountain. This wasn't that bad when you considered that was the location he and Ben needed to get to, what was not so good however was the fact he was standing in the middle of a high street in Tokyo with the mountain appearing right out of the very road in front of him.

"Could someone please tell me why Infinity Mountain is rising out of the road?"

"Total Unification." Izzy whispered, in answer to Kari's question.

"That's bad right?" Veemon looked towards Ben and the Traveller nodded, a grim look on his face. Sora squeezed Angelus's hand and he squeezed back.

"This isn't such a bad thing, we need to get to the Temple of Light and that resides where Devimon used to be based. We've been fortunate that Infinity Mountain appeared where we did, come on everyone we need to get up there and I mean NOW." Angelus put his arm around Sora and spread his wings, two flaps and they were airborne Sora gave a little squeak of surprise but Angelus simply tightened his grip.

Ben simply willed himself into the air, and somewhat astonished that it actually worked levitated after his friend who must at this moment be both Gatekeeper and Keymaster. That thought worried him immensely; the prophecy said there were always two, Keymaster and Gatekeeper. Now there was but one, he shunned these thoughts however as he suddenly began dropping like a stone. Pursing his lips together he resumed his concentration on staying aloft and made his way, as did everyone else towards the Temple of Light. TK and Kari flew up with Angemon and Angewomon. The majority of the rest flew with MegaKabuterimon and Aquilamon, the only other two Digimon able to digivolve again that could fly. Biyomon naturally flew under her own power.

The journey was reassuringly quick, yet was also strangely eerie. The creaking and splintering of the ground below them did little to calm their already shot nerves and ease the aching of their wounds. Angelus and Sora naturally landed first, followed by the swift winged Aquilamon with his charges. Ben landed rather unceremoniously on the hard stone floor and had to use his staff to help himself up to a vertical base.

The group ran through the open temple door, past the large conference hall of the Sovereign Digimon deep into the centre of the structure. The roof began to ominously start dropping dust and small rubble pebbles onto them from above as they followed Angelus who seemed to be being drawn to something inside like a moth to a flame.

"Angelus!" Sora protested as she tried to keep up with the winged one who was literally dragging her around the labyrinthine temple. "Do you know where you're going?"

"I know." Was all he said as the group finally materialised into the centre chamber.

"Whoa." Gomamon muttered, the chamber was huge, a massive golden room which seemed to radiate warmth and light. In the centre was a kind of altar ovular in shape, which curved upwards turning it into almost a cone. Angelus and Ben looked at each other and rushed towards it, the others in hot pursuit.

"We haven't got long." Angelus said, drawing his sword and with his free hand beginning to removing the centuries worth of sand like dust. Ben looked agitatedly around the room; the walls seemed to be humming with static electricity.

"How long?" The Traveller demanded, looking desperately at the diesis for some kind of instructions. Angelus looked over at the wall and pursed his lips together; he closed his eyes for a moment then lashed out a hand in the walls direction. The air shimmered for a fraction of a second then the wall seemed to vanish, in fact that wasn't the case the wall actually became transparent. The same happened to the one behind it and the one behind that and the next and the next until they could see all the way outside. The sight was not pretty. Lightning snaked through the sky and the wind roared, outside the Tokyo skyline was dark but very visible was the almost static like silhouettes of other buildings. These were buildings from the DigiDestined world, which were beginning to rip through the barrier just like Infinity Mountain had done. Mimi held a hand to her mouth as numerous Digimon began appearing in the street alongside residence of the 'other' Tokyo all were shocked, frightened and began to panic as the lightning started striking down into buildings and the street itself.

"_**NOT**_ long." Angelus yelled and brushed the last of the dust away to reveal the true beauty of the golden altar of the Rebirth. There was a series of four holes in the pure gold table, two of which were merely indents, one was rectanguar and the last was circular approximately 3 inches or so in diametre.

"What are we supposed to do?" Said Gabumon, the others looked bewildered unsure as to what else they could do now except hope Angelus and Ben could solve the puzzle before them.

"What was in that prophecy Gennai told you?" Ben said, the Gatekeeper ran a hand through his hair and gritted his teeth together in annoyance.

"Damnit..." Angelus rifled through his pockets before finding what he was looking for, he slowly brought out his hand and as he opened it a golden slightly box shaped orb materialised. "The Traveller shall produce a Miracle." Angelus tossed the DigiEgg of Miracles to Ben and the Chosen Traveller slotted the egg into the indent in front of him. Immediately the egg became engulfed in light and a clicking noise almost like that of a lock turning could be heard.

"Where's the other one?" Ben asked anyone who cared to listen, but Angelus was already bringing his hand out of his pocket a second time.

"The Gatekeeper shall choose his own fate." The Digiegg of Fate materialised and was soon slotted in as well. A second beam of light encompassed the taller egg and the chosen two turned their attention to the two holes, one rectangular and one circular.

"The staff!" Angelus said pointing.

"The sword!" Ben said at the same time, with an overly dramatic finish both were slammed home into their respective slots. Two beams of light enveloped the weapons....

And nothing happened.

They waited; the wails of terror from outside became more audible.

Still nothing.

"Are we supposed to do something else? Say magic words or something?" 

"Maybe... look at the pattern on the floor, does it look familiar to you?"

"It looks like something out of Oh My Goddess."

"Or a crop circle." Angelus muttered, but it did indeed look like the Ultimate Magic Circle he had seen in that particular show. A massive display of barely visible rune symbols triangles and circles littered the floor around them.

"Was there anything else in that prophecy Angelus?"

"No just some line at the end that meant nothing much."

"What did it say?"

"Um, the chosen pair shall look their deaths straight in the eye, the deaths of their friends and of their loved ones. Yet the Gatekeeper will choose his own Fate and the Traveller shall produce a Miracle and the Rebirth will bring...." Angelus stopped abruptly and glanced over at TK.

"Bring what?" Ken demanded, almost yelling at the elder male.

"And the Rebirth will bring Hope and Light forever and eternally."

All eyes shifted to TK and Kari, TK swallowed. "We have to do something?" Ben nodded. "What?" Ben shrugged, but Angelus had his eyes closed in thought.

"Okay, you two have to kiss each other."

"What?" Ben blinked,

"What?" Tai and Matt chorused,

"WHAT?" Davis screeched, "Y-You m-mean they've gotta..."

"Kiss." Angelus repeated, Tai moved forward and went into B.B.M as Kari called it, Big Brother Mode.

"Hey whoa, wait a minute! My sis ain't gonna kiss some guy just cause you say so even if it is T-"

Tai was cut off as the altar exploded in a golden light and began spinning like a top, a whining drone like an aircraft engine powering up thumped through the room and everyone had to cover their ears. In the midst of this though two teens were kissing each other seemingly blissfully unaware as to what was going on around them, for TK and Kari this was their first kiss and they were damned if it was going to be wrecked by anything or anyone. Tai was going red with rage but the spinning Rebirth energy that was gathering in the centre of the room rapidly drowned his words out. Matt didn't know whether to laugh or cry but he felt content for the time being to simply be in pain from the din.

Some time later it would be debated as to whether it was really necessary for TK and Kari to kiss for Rebirth to be initiated but no answer would ever be found. It was though at this point when the floor became alive with light, the rune script on the floor glowed and the letters started to move and rotate. The pattern began to ripple and the circles erupted into columns of shiny gold, outside everything shook and then became deathly quiet. Yet the rumbling continued, it was simply no longer possible to hear as the air rippled constantly, preventing sound from travelling. The sky seemed to be shaking and for a brief moment the others could see outside the forest and fields around where Infinity Mountain was supposed to be, then they caught a glimpse of the Pseudo Earth before their view once again became of Tokyo. Around and around this little montage of images flew getting faster and faster as the podium spun quicker and glowed brighter until it was going so fast the speed tricked the eye into thinking it slowed down then spun in the opposite direction. Electricity surged through the chamber and everyone dived for cover as the altar exploded into flame, a tower of golden fire which ripped through the top of the great temple into the sky. Soon they felt their wounds begin to heal and utter peace if only for a moment filled their minds, all except one The flame washed through the clouds and across all three worlds and everything that had been destroyed by the events of the Keymaster was erased and born anew.

  
Lying on a carpet in a Tokyo building a portly man in a suit sat bolt up right, finding as he was on the floor of his boardroom. Yamashita patted himself to make sure he was real, checked his pulse then deciding he was alive helped himself to one of his many large cigars lighting it with trembling hands and began puffing away on it as if his very life depended on it. There was a knock on the board door and the man jumped in fright hiding under the table as his secretary Megumi walked in.

"Sir, are you okay?"

"Um. Maybe."

"Oh I see it's some kind of new management technique right?"

"Um, yes, yes Miss Megumi. One should always have their mind open to new experiences."

"Of course sir. Your three o'clock is here by the way sir." The secretary bowed.

"T-Thank you. Send them in." She bowed again and he dumbly bowed back before puffing away in panic. His thoughts were derailed however when his head animator came in.

"Good news sir!"

"Good?" The executive began to sweat.

"I've just heard the animatic has returned to normal!"

Yamashita beamed, "That is wonderful news, the interference has stopped."

"What interference?" He blinked,

"The two boys - Angelus and that Ben boy."

"I'm sorry sir I don't know what you're talking about, I meant the animatic of the next season has been returned to normal following that printing accident with the animation team who repeat their forgiveness for their most grievous error. As such I take full responsibility."

"Printing error?"

"Yes, sir." The head animator was now not just confused but very confused. "It was in my report sir."

"Yes, yes of course it was." Yamashita straightened his tie, smiling as he did so. He'd been given a second chance, for whatever reason, to live his life again. Not make the same mistakes as he had before. It must have been the work of the Chosen Two, his beaming smile only succeeded in disturbing his worker more. He shook his head sadly, "Have you any ideas for a possible series after this one?"

"N-not yet sir."

"Well, let me get you something to eat. I want to run by a story idea by you."

"Story idea?"

"Yes, think of it as a crossover between our world and the two worlds we know already in the series. Now you see, there are these two boys about 18 or so and one day"

  
And so the glow spread between the Three and slowly began to push them away from each other, soon the ties that bound them began to strain until finally they snapped. In that instant Infinity Mountain was back surrounded by forest and fields and Rebirth was over as quickly as it had begun. Slowly the band of Digimon and humans were able to remove fingers, hands and in the case of the ever-prepared Izzy actual earplugs from their ears as the podium began to slow down. The whirring stopped, the glow faded and after another minute or two it silently (with very little fuss for something that had been rotating so rapidly) came to a standstill.

Ben blinked, "Was that it?"

"You sound disappointed Ben." Mimi replied wiggling a finger in her ear and with her other hand helping Palmon to stand.

"That was more than enough for me." The plant Digimon groaned, "I thought I was going to wilt under all the glare."

"You're a plant I thought you would have liked all the light."

"Yes but too much can kill plants too." Palmon said in an 'explaning to a small child' voice then dusted off her leaves. Angelus stretched his wings, while Joe went around and checked everyone was okay. 

"My ears are ringing." Cody moaned, Armadillomon meanwhile was curled up in a ball and wasn't going to uncurl for anything. So Cody gave him a kick, which seemed to do the trick.

"Ow, watcha do that for!" Armadillomon said angrily, "I was having a nice nap there."

"You slept through that?" Cody slapped his hand to his forehead.

"Well I was still tired from getting walloped by Arnakmon if you don't mind. Hey Veemon are you okay?"

"What?"

"I said are you okay?"

"What???"

"Ah no he's been deafened." The hard-shelled Digimon groaned, Veemon just looked at him in confusion.

"Huh, speak up!"

"Only temporarily Armadillomon." Joe said, examining Yolei's eyes carefully. The girl was complaining of feeling slightly dizzy. It was at that moment that Angelus withdrew his sword from the pedastal and both the DigiEggs shook.

"What was that?" Angelus said slowly, backing away a step only for the eggs to shake again, this time the DigiEgg of Miracles fell off the pedastal and bounced down onto the floor. A small crack developed down the side but this was nothing because the egg started to glow once more and begun to move purposefully towards Ben. The DigiEgg of Fate also began to glow and rock backwards and forwards, a network of tiny cracks began to form in its golden surface.

Mimi squeaked and tried to climb up on Ben's shoulders away from whatever it was that was rolling towards them. Ben huffed in annoyance and almost fell backwards; the glowing DigiEgg rolled end over end towards them then stopped a foot away from the Traveller's shoe.  
Ben deposited Mimi back on the ground and went to get a closer look when a pair of simultaneous cracks were heard in the Rebirth Chamber. The eggs flared as a claw came out of one and a clawed paw another, everyone backed away nervously Angelus pointed his sword at the DigiEgg in front of him as it rocked twice violently then fell of the altar also.

A small smash was heard, as the egg broke open entirely, a small yelp of pain and a growl of annoyance came from the pile of eggshell. Cautiously Angelus with the tip of the sword flicked the main piece of shell away and as he did the creature appearing from the DigiEgg of Miracles flew up out of it and landed on Ben's shoulder. Mimi screamed and hid behind Joe and Ken, only to receive a sharp kick in the shin from Cody who she'd inadvertently squashed into the wall.

Tai made a mental note to speak to Cody about his developing penchant for kicking people

Ben wasn't sure what he felt right now but he was sure a change of undergarment might be in order. It wasn't until he actually opened his eyes he realised the magnitude of his situation.

"Raine?"

Angelus looked at the 'thing' on Ben's shoulder and was startled to find it was a small dragon, or a dragonet being a youngster. Ben laughed and Mimi peeked out from behind Ken.

_"Raine?"_ She echoed and everyone looked around at her.

"Raine?" Was the universal question, which was met with only a cheery response from the Traveller.

"Raine!" Ben smiled and the little winged lizard gave his cheek a lick then snorted a tiny puff of smoke.

Gatomon sighed in annoyance, "Okay we've gathered the thing's called Raine!" the cat said loudly. "Can you please tell us a bit more than that?"

"Raine." Ben said in awe, "My older self had a Digimon partner, this little dragon, my partner wasn't Myotismon after all." Raine gave a little yawn and a snort/honk noise as an affirmative.

"He can't talk." Veemon pointed out.

"Who cares?" Ben patted Raine's head then looked over at the remains of the second DigiEgg by Angelus's feet. "But that means..."

Angelus reached down and picked up what at first glance looked like a ball of snow-white fluff, to be fair a second and third glance would have gotten you the same result. He walked up towards the rest of the group and as he stopped a tail flicked out and caught him on the nose.

"Hey." Angelus said smiling, "You waking up little one?"

From the fluff a pair of eyes appeared and a mouth that yawned mightily displaying four prominently sharp canine teeth. Angelus put the Digimon back on the floor and it shook itself awake displaying not just a tail, teeth and eyes but four legs, clawed paws and a sleek body with the faintest trio of blue stripes on it's fur.

"It's a snow tiger." Izzy said grinning, Angelus stroked its head and the tiger cub licked his palm appreciatively. His hot breath condensing in the cool air of the chamber.

"Cute little fellow." Sora said tickling him under the chin.

"Careful Sora, Angelus might get jealous." Tai snickered, Angelus nodded at Kari and the girl elbowed her brother in the ribs.

"Any idea just who this is?" Angelus asked Ben but the Traveller shook his head.

"My future self gave me no information on you, I haven't a clue who this is." The tiger's breath continued to make little clouds of condensation; in fact it seemed to be doing it deliberately then tried to bat it with his paw.

"Heh, I think I'll call you Frost." Angelus grinned and Frost gave a little growl of approval. "Well, why don't we see what Rebirth really looks like - what I mean to say is, lets get out of here and see what's going on!"

Outside of Infinity Mountain, on the crest of a gentle hill two figures watched and waited. In the distance tiny ant like figures were flying through the air preparing to land in the field below.

"You know what you're doing don't you?" Aeth said quietly, "You're putting paid to potentially dangerous loose cannon."

"You can congratulate me afterwards." Said Gennai, drawing an arrow from his quiver and kneeling down on top of the hill.

"Go on my friend, you're time is at hand."

"The Prophecy will be fulfilled." Gennai smiled, "This day heralds the beginning of a new era, The Three are set free through the act of Rebirth and we will rise to our rightful positions. Unchallenged and all powerful the Traveller and the Warrior of Light, the only Warrior of Light just as The Light decreed."

A smile tugged at Gennai's lips as he positioned the arrow on the string and pulled it back, Aeth breathed in deep allowing the sensation of magic and goodness that still lingered in the air from Rebirth to flow through his being. The smell made his body tingle with the sense of something very important about to come to pass, next to him Gennai's eyes narrowed as he looked along the arrow to aim it at his target.

"Indeed Gennai, now the true nature of our roles is revealed to us we can govern both realms in peace and idealism. To the correct rules and regulations, there will be no more war for we are righteous. The Travellers that were scattered by me shall now be forced to abide by my will, with their Alzari-elect dead and his friend I am their only hope for salvation."

"And with my victory I shall make the perfect Digital World. I will create the perfect society - MY society." And Gennai loosed the arrow from his bow.

The forest.

They'd done it.

The worlds were free.

"We did it!" Davis whooped and hi-fived Tai, TK pulled Kari into a hug and smiled when Yolei wrapped her arms around Ken from behind causing the boy to go bright red. Laughter and joy echoed throughout the plain as the grass began to reappear and reality reorganised itself. Mimi laid her head against Ben's shoulder; he in response wrapped his arm around her waist.

"So it's over?" Gatomon asked, turning to face Patamon who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I suppose it is." The orange fuzz ball breathed a sigh of relief, "Say Gatomon?"

"Gatomon." The cat said sticking out her tongue, Patamon rolled his eyes.

"No silly, I was just wondering if you were free tomorrow night."

"Why Patamon are you asking me out?"

"Um, not really. I mean yeah, kinda but-" Patamon stopped suddenly all nervousness vanished and he straightened. He looked about anxiously for something, Gatomon's smile faded.

"What is it?"

"What... is that whistling noise?" But no one seemed to hear him. 

Sora giggled convulsively and ran from her place next to Matt over to Angelus, who returned his sword to it's scabbard and caught her as she flung herself at him. They looked into each other's eyes and Sora's arms encircled his neck, at that moment in time Angelus had never been happier. If he were to describe it himself, he would have had no hesitation in using the word content. He grasped her by her slender waist and held her up and swung her round in sheer delight. 

Time seemed to stand still on that moment.

He wished it could last forever.

_It didn't._

Angelus didn't even hear the noise of the arrow, he didn't even realise anything was wrong until he heard a dull slightly wet thump. Their eyes still looked on each other but he knew something was wrong, her grip seemed to be slipping from around his neck and the others seemed to be looking on aghast. Sora's strength seemed to have left her and he stopped twirling her around, slowly he lowered himself and Sora to the floor up into a sitting position resting her against his knee. He'd lost the power of speech, and she tried to whisper something to him but for some reason couldn't. A small lone tear wandered down his cheek and she with a thumb wiped it away, no tears, she didn't want her last moments with him to be seeing him unhappy or in pain.

But there was nothing she could do about that.

Not now.

_Not ever._

Aeth looked at Gennai whose face was grim, the arrow flew straight and true a terrific distance for such a weapon but it was not of mortal origin. It sought out it's target, to puncture him through the back and pierce his heart with the sharpened digizoid head. Then the plan went wrong, oh boy, did it go wrong. Sora ran up to Angelus and the couple embraced, her momentum swinging her around him.

Swinging around him 180 degrees.

Swinging around him into the arrow's path.

The DigiDestined gathered around them on the ground, Biyomon was weeping and Sora patted her on the head. The bird dedigivolved into Yokomon, then into Nyokimon soshe stroked it soothingly. She glanced around her friends who were mostly not crying, the shock was great. Angelus tried to say something but still couldn't, Sora mouthed something that his numbed body and mind recognised as three words 'I love you' and she became still.

Angelus's eyes filled with water, yet the tears would not flow. He held her close and buried his head in her shoulder, the others wept.

The ornate arrow was still sticking out from her back.

Some of those gathered sought comfort in others, TK held Kari tightly while she cried into his shoulder; Mimi buried her head into Ben's chest unable to look at the body any longer. Joe whispered soothing words in her ear but to little effect, Matt and Izzy tried to hold Tai upright. The face of the DigiDestined leader was ashen, his eyes seemed to have become sunken, glazed over, it was the blank mask of shock. His legs were unable to move, all his muscles had become paralysed any trace of strength had vanished from him. Yolei kneeling on the ground by Ken bawled into her hands, while poor little Cody stood dumbfounded trying to vaguely comprehend the gravity of what had just happened. Ben while holding Mimi also felt numb; his sister whom he'd loved as much as Angelus and known for just as little a time was gone. So many things went unsaid, he'd... he'd planned to take her home with him to the real world; it was perhaps where she belonged. That wouldn't be happening now though.

Through it all Angelus just stood unmoving looking downwards on Sora's still form, beautiful even in death he mused silently. Slowly he reached down and with the stabbing of a thousand daggers ripping his heart asunder closed her eyes with the palm of his hand. His hand was shaking, shaking in both sorrow and anger. And as he stood up the anger inside him grew, it fed upon itself fuelling the fire with his memories of them together, how happy he was and how it was all ripped away from his grasp.

"Digivice: Command Line - Targeting." Angelus barked, startling his friends. The DX digivice slowly and somewhat unsteadily rose into the air, beeping at a regular pace as it rotated in a 360-degree arc around the group. It scanned for life signs - potential enemies, weapons and any object approaching them. The beeping increased drastically when it found something, then a beam of red light shot out of the digivice in the direction it had stopped at. At the same time the DX produced a hologramatic image on the floor below it, a picture of two people one of which possessed a bow and was desperately trying to get a red 'A' shaped target with wings on to not rest on his heart. Angelus didn't bother looking but listened to the gasps of his friends, Ken stammered out what the rest where thinking.

"T-That's Aeth and Gennai."

"It can't be." Yolei mumbled, "Why?"

"Why would Gennai do something like that?" Ben demanded, "And Aeth, what has he done to us?"

"I'll tell you." Said a flat but familiar voice, the group faced Kari who's eyes held a vacant expression.

The Light had returned...

_**To Be Continued...**_  
_**Please Review!**_  


* * *

_Sora: *dead*  
DC: Who's gonna do the announcement now?  
AAUK: Ah, didn't think of that.  
Yolei: I'll do it! Will things all turn out perfecto for Aeth and Gennai or will they feel the wrath of Angelus and Ben? Tune in next time for more Redux I: Reality Redux!  
AAUK: ...*opens trapdoor underneath hamster-pocket girl*  
Yolei: *screams and vanishes*  
_

_****__ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
_**Kari's Angels** - Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... mind experiencing overload - please try again in a few minutes."  
****


	31. Sins of the Father :DC:

**Redux I: Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

We don't own Digimon in any way, shape or form. Nor do we own Yamashita, who really does work at Toei, and is yet to hunt us down with intent to injure.

_As said priorly We do not own Digimon, just this inexplicably long story.... which is gonna get longer with the THREE Redux based sequels/sidequels appear in the near future, expect the first chapter of Redux II: Triforce Redux (set in the Zelda universe unsurprisingly) to appear in the not to distant future. RR still has at least 6 chapters to go but three sequels? Ohhhhhhhhhh hell yeah!  
_

_Incidentally a warning for those who think that Ben, Angelus, Aeth and Gennai are digital - they aren't, hence bleed when injured..._

**Chapter 31 - Sins Of The Father**

  
'Kari', her eyes blank and her face emotionless, surveyed the group. Once again, Kari had been shouldered aside, The Light preferring to talk through her it made little pause for the destraught DigiDestined and got down to business.

"First, I must tell you that there have been countless more Unifications than I have had you believe. You did not need the information. Gennai and Aeth have always had ulterior motives for their actions. Long ago, when the Digiworld was newborn and free from Virus type Digimon, I prophesied partial Unifications as inevitabilities, part of the war between light and dark. Neither side wanted Unification to happen, so to the dark was given the Keymaster, and to the Light was given the Gatekeeper. Each could, when their powers were combined with the Staff of Entherial, a rod of tremendously concentrated Tear energy that only the Alzari may wield, push the worlds back into their proper alignment. Before the Unification took place, the Gatekeeper, Angelus, would battle the Keymaster, Ankar, until one or the other conceded defeat, the both of them being equal. In the beginning, there were no Vaccine or Virus type Digimon. Whenever Angelus won, he introduced Vaccines into the Digiworld, and whenever Ankar won, she introduced Virus types, eventually turning herself into a Digimon of unimaginable power. Ankarmon. Over time, these two adversaries developed an overpowering hatred of each other, for all that they were meant to be nothing but purpose."

"But what about Gennai?" asked Ken.

"Gennai is indeed the 'brother' of Angelus. Whenever Angelus was defeated in battle, Gennai would assume his duties, and when Ankarmon lost, Apocalymon did the same for her. Gennai grew to believe he was merely playing second fiddle to Angelus, resentment growing in his mind like a cancer. Then, at the point when Angelus and Ankarmon's hatred of each other had peaked, they met again for the duel that would decide whether Light or Darkness would reign until the next duel. You know what happened then. Angelus, working with the aid of Jasmine, a fairly young Traveller who had been catapulted far into the past by Aeth when he banished the Travellers- "

"What?" Mimi interrupted, "He did what?"'

"All in good time, Mimi Tachikawa" The Light said calmly. "Angelus and Jasmine managed to not just defeat Ankarmon, but vanquish her, spilling her code, but Jasmine was not Alzari, and the effort it exerted on the both of them shot Jasmine, dazed and confused, back into the present day, and....well, you know what happened to Angelus. So. The Digiworld and the real world hung into the balance. Unification had been averted, but the duel had more or less been a draw, and the ties that held the worlds together in Unification had not been snapped. Merely...stretched. Gennai, of course, didn't know this, and believing Angelus to have gone for good, went to the Digiworld to bring order to chaos. He already knew from the prophecy that there would always be only one Warrior of Light, and he assumed this was now him, for all of time. The Gatekeeper spirit, however, had stayed with Angelus, however weakened he was, enabling Gennai to maintain his grip on humanity. Obviously, you know the rest of his story. Up to a point. He helped bring you, the Digidestined, to the Digital world to fulfil your destinies, and that of the Digital World. You destroyed Apocalymon, 'brother' of Ankarmon, and brought peace, of a sort, to the Digital world. Gennai, in short, felt secure in his role as protector of the Digital world. However, when Unification began, he could sense his place shifting. When the two of you were downloaded from your world into the Digital world, Gennai was surprised and dismayed to see Angelus, albeit with no accessible memories of his past. He knew that your reappearance could only mean he was, as he perceived it, on the way out again. This was when he formed an alliance of sorts with Atheist, the self-proclaimed ruler of the Travellers. Atheist knew from the beginning exactly who Ben had the potential to become, and the threat he represented to his dictatorship. As his name implies, Atheist did not believe in anything except himself and his power. They realised that this Unification would be much more powerful than any of the others that had gone before, possibly the last ever. Unwilling to risk themselves, they resolved to let the two of you deal with Ankarmon, end the Unification permanently with the Golden Ritual, and then have you killed, taking up the reigns of the new world. They threw many obstacles in your path, like the Scubamon from the Dark Ocean."

"What happened to them?"

"As you may be aware, the Scubamon are not as they appear. They are demons from the Chaos Plain, formed from negative energy. They move from world to world, reality to reality, absorbing positive energy until the world is devoid of life, a husk. Of course, when they reached the Dark Ocean, they fell under the command of the Darkness, which understands negative energy. It bound them in new shapes, and forced them to do its bidding. They became self aware in a way they hadn't been before. After their master was supposedly gone, although he merely bid his time within Azaraelmon, a revolution began between those who sought to free themselves, and those who were still cowed by the very thought of Dracomon's return. Aeth took advantage of this confusion to persuade them to attack you, in the hopes that your attention would, at the very least, remain diverted. I simply diverted them from their destination - here- back to the Chaos Plain. After the Rebirth, Aeth and Gennai sought to kill Angelus, and later you, Ben, and take control once more. Obviously, their plan backfired."

Not listening, Ben knelt down by Sora, peaceful even in death, even with a cruel arrow lodged in her back. He took her hands and covered them in his own in a silent tribute, for there was nothing he could say that could express his feelings, no hymn of deepest grief deep enough. A mourning from one who could only half believe that there was a reason to mourn at all, could hardly comprehend the death of his sister. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly, then lowered her hands to her chest once again. He stood up respectfully.

"Oh, Sora...Your greatest tragedy is still to come." He said softly. A look of bemused worry crossed his face, and he put a hesitant hand to his forehead. He shook his head slowly, and blinked a few times as if trying to clear his vision, or so it seemed to Mimi, watching with concern and blinking back stricken tears.

"Ben? What's wrong? What's..."

"I....I can't....see..." he said in wonder as the light in his eyes, and his eyes alone, grew brighter and brighter and - 

- And then it faded, and he was reeling backwards across a rooftop somewhere else entirely, a furious pain burning in his chest. The wind lashed around him, flapping at his leather jacket, making it dance around him. He looked up. His grip on the Staff tightened.

"You."

Aeth nodded affably. "I thought it was only a matter of time till you came after me, so I thought I'd do this on my terms. Get the first blow in." He too was holding a staff, his of iron and steel. One end, Ben noticed, was covered with a glittering mass of tiny, razor sharp edges, some dyed red. Without taking his gaze away, Ben brought his free hand up to the pain in his chest, probing gently with the tips of his fingers. They came away damp. The red dye, Ben realised, was nothing other than his own blood, which was even now beginning to ooze down his front, a warm tide that his skin shied away from contact with. He tried his best to grit his teeth against the pain in his shattered and bleeding chest, almost relishing in it. Aeth had struck first, removing any remaining qualms about being the first to strike. It let him know he was mortal, capable of injury, capable of dying, but it told him who he was. He remembered when Angelus had almost lost his humanity for good in that fight with Gennai after Sora's death, so long ago...

So long ago? But...that hadn't happened yet. At least, not all of it...

"Has it begun?" Jasmine asked, subdued. The death of the daughter she had lived with for years had shaken her to the core, her spirit all but destroyed. She would not loose Ben as well. A fact, and that she knew, but she was still human, and fear gripped her, grief wailed within her, and in her soul, resolution fought with unreasoning anger.

Her companion nodded. 

  
"It has. He is becoming Alzari, and the Staff is changing him. His mind is being altered so that he perceives time and space differently. That's what's happening now, in part. He's becoming temporally unstable, if only for a short while. It's a peculiar feeling, premembering something. It still happens occasionally, and it's damn well disconcerting." Alzari commented, gazing down on his younger self. He didn't need to watch the battle particularly - he was, after all, a product of the outcome, so to speak. Jasmine, however, needed consolation, reassurance, and who better to supply it at this moment in time? Instead of watching the fight, he instead cast his eyes over the city, whilst in the air above him, Raine flew in lazy circles, the both of them looking for a little speck...

Raine flapped his wings, urgently trying to gain height. It was hard, just born as he was, but flying came as naturally to him as swimming to ducks, so with a varying degree of success, he ascended, trying to find his partner. He seemed to be getting a...pull from over to the east, so he followed it. Instinct was a great help when you were new to the world.

Aeth watched his son suspiciously. He was simply standing there, the blood dripping down his chest. His expression, if anything, was confused. Cautiously, Aeth made a feint to his right, which Ben blocked clumsily, seemingly dragging his mind back to the here and now. He had to try and focus on the evidence of his eyes, in spite of having what he assumed was simply a killer headache. For all the time that he'd held a staff recently, this was his first combat situation with it. He found it surprisingly easy, and easier still as the rapid mental changes the staff was subjecting him too came into play. It was as if he'd fought like this for years...  
Aeth took a twin-handed grip on his staff and swung the mass of razors at his son with all of his not inconsiderable strength. Ben went into a crouch, easily ducked under the iron staff, overbalancing the former Alzari, swinging his own staff behind his back, cracking Aeth in the back of his knees, staggering him forward with a grunt. He made to turn around, only to have the tip of Ben's staff strike him repeatedly in the torso. It felt to Aeth like each blow was almost heavy enough to shatter his ribs. He didn't look it, but Ben was deceptively strong, and the knowledge of what Gennai had done was enough to add weight to his blows and a determination to his features that was normally absent, even during the most serious of encounters. 

Finally, Ben struck a vicious blow that reeled Aeth backwards to the edge of the rooftop, staggering him towards a vicious drop. He pin wheeled his arms, recovering. Expecting his son to follow up with another attack, he held his staff in front of him, ready to deflect any attacks. Instead, he found him simply standing there, watching him with a hint of sadness, congealing blood dripping from his chest wound.   


"Did you ever realise the significance behind your staff, father? How it changed over time? You started off meaning the best for all travellers, didn't you? But you came less and less flexible, as did your staff. You didn't want to embrace change, give up your position to mother, so you banished or killed the other Travellers, kept them from the only place they could feel at home. In a way, you helped them hone their abilities, I suppose. They began to create tears, searching for their home. My mother was Alzari in everything but name, father. You had half the staff, and so did she. And now I have both. And I'm much more flexible than you." He slammed the lower edge of the staff onto the tiling at his feet, causing the entire staff to ripple, as if seen through a heat wave. When it faded, the process lasting no longer than a second, the staff's orb had reshaped itself into a pair of Pike-blades, one on either end of the staff. The staff, it also seemed, had reduced its length, the extra mass flowing up Ben's arm, across his shoulder blades, and reforming in his other hand in a replica of itself. Roughly three quarters of the way along each section, the wood slithered around Ben's forearms, closing into gauntlets that covered his forearms, protecting him and also keeping the Tonfa-style weapons in place. Each of the weapons was only slightly longer than the full length of his own arm, so that the blades protruded to about 6 inches above his shoulders, and the same at his fists. The entire process took less than two seconds, leaving Aeth with a growing sense that he was starting to get out of his league. Ben started to walk towards him, anger mixing with pity, and compassion in his eyes.

"I don't want to do this, father." He warned. 'Whatever else has happened, I don't think I'm that kind of guy. But God knows you've given me enough reasons, and so help me, I will.' His voice became choked. Desparate now, the tide having turned against him, Aeth swung a blow at Ben, who caught it on a Tonfa, twisting his arm around so that Aeth's staff scraped up against the gauntlet before he caught it in his hands, pulling at it, overbalancing Aeth, who stumbled, his defences down. Within a moment, Ben had slipped past the staff, a blade mere centimetres from Aeth's chest. 

And then he stopped.  
Slowly, the two of them pitiful inches away from the edge of the rooftop, Ben lowered his weapon, and half turned away. 

  
"I can't do it, you know. I've got these....instincts now. Reactions in battle. I know it's the work of the staff, but I can't murder someone....just relinquish your position, and I'll let you go." He turned away, distracted. "God, my head..." Aeth seized his chance; Ben never even saw it coming. Time seemed, to Aeth, to slow down to a crawl. He gripped the staff firmly at one end, and with both hands. He pulled it back, to give more impact to the blow. And, time still flowing like treacle, he swung, Ben still looking away. Aeth's eyes, previously clenched with effort, slammed open with surprise, as Raine, soared down, landing on Ben's shoulder, wings still spread, mouth open as if screaming soundless defiance. For the tiniest fraction of a second, he thought he saw a tiny orange flicker at the back of the creature's throat.   
It was one of the last things he ever saw. With a whoomph, a fireball blossomed from Raine's gaping maw, expanding as it came into contact with the air, cannoning into Aeth's face and chest. With a scream, he staggered backwards, in burning agony. Right over the lip of the building. He plummeted towards the earth, a human torch.

There was a terrible sound, followed by a silence, no less dreadful. 

Curiously, Ben looked at Raine, who purred in pride and butted his small head against Ben's forehead, wrapping his tail firmly around his neck. Behind Ben's eyes, images leapt. Soaring down towards himself, Aeth preparing a swing, the sensation of the fire building within him....he realised that this was what Raine had just seen and felt. He looked over the edge of the building, and grimaced.

"It didn't have to end like this, you know."

"Cheeeee......Krikaww....."

"'I know, I know. You did a great job protecting me. I probably wouldn't be standing here if you hadn't - but nonetheless...." Ben picked up Aeth's discarded staff, and dropped it over the edge. "Goodbye, father." Alzari said softly, and turned away, the staff's changes completed. The air shimmered again, and the arcane weapon that was more a thing of change than a staff disappeared in its entirety, ready to be called again next time he needed it. 

"We should try to find Angelus. He has to fight his own fight, but he might need us there afterwards.....Remember this moment, Raine. This is the beginning."

_'The beginning of something new.'_

_**To Be Continued...**_  
_**Please Review!**_  


* * *

_TK: What'll happen next?  
Kari: Will Angelus rip Gennai into itty bitty pieces?  
AAUK: It's the start of the biggest smackdown session anywhere on FF.net in the next thrilling **action packed** chapter of Reality Redux.  
DC: Postage and packing not required.  
_

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Digicowboy c):o)  
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	32. All Kinds Of Darkness Pt 1 Bloodlust ...

**Redux I: Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_Digimon: Digital Monsters are owned by rich people who live in glass houses and throw stones whenever the hell they like because unsurprisingly they're rich and can replace any broken windows._

**Chapter 32 - All Kinds Of Darkness : Pt 1 - Bloodlust**

"What do you think he's going to do?"

"I dread to think."

"Silence!" Gennai ordered and the two SkullGreymon obeyed, they stood next to the vast array of Knightmon and others who Gennai had gathered at his other home. The Temple of the Dragon was surrounded by a moat of viscous lava that popped and bubbled, strong currents made the lava move slowly around the vast building. Considering the flowering landscape around it the fact there was an open volcanic channel running through the small valley was something most unusual. Then again since when did the Digital World conform to the ideas of science and nature? The temple was big, very big indeed the front gate featured a drawbridge over the magma of an ancient wood, then a Japanese style portcullis before you came to the doors. Two massive doors of solid oak coated on the outside and inside with the purest platinum digizoid, the hardest substance known in existence, there was an inlaid pattern of gold digizoid and diamond which foretold the coming of the great dragon - the first of all Digimon who gave life to the first generation of monsters and in time it was said created the beings that became the four Sovereign Digimon. The doors were monstrous in size, they stood almost thirty feet tall and were at least seven feet thick, two feet of which was the platinum digizoid covering on the front and reverse. The walls of this mighty castle-come-temple were at least three and a half metres thick.

Gennai paced and fondled the pommel of his sword, it's twin whom he could never remember using was strapped to his other side. Chewing on his lip he turned to a Knightmon who had just asked him a question.

"What do wish us to do?"

"Bar the doors."

"Already done." The Knightmon gestured at the solid gold digizoid bar that had taken twenty Knightmon to lift. "What next?"

"We wait."

"And if he comes?"

"He will. Let us hope the doors are strong enough."

Gennai hoped like crazy they would, the temple was sealed every other way and the doors were the only feasible entrance. Should by some wild miracle Angelus be able to get past the doors then his small personal army should see to it that he travelled no further. The Digimon had bar the two SkullGreymon who acted like sentry guards been all armed with weapons forged by a deity, which Gennai had 'acquired' over the years through one way or the other. It was safe to say Gennai was a little scared, it had not been long ago he had thought he was just a normal being - not a demi-god just like Angelus, and now either he or his brother must die. Not only that but the last time Gennai had seen his angelic brother the wing-clad human looked as though he could cause severe damage to anything and anyone in his path.

Far away from the Temple of the Dragon, in the Temple of Hope two very old friends sat silently waiting for the inevitable. Baihumon flexed his claws and growled agitatedly, "I knew this would come one day."

"Of course, it is not the first time we have been party to the events that will shape this day." Azulongmon said; his eyes clouded by thought.

"I didn't realise it would be this difficult."

"Yes, we cannot interfere and I wish we could but it would distort the timeline far too much."

"If I could save him from what was to happen though, wouldn't it be worth it?" Baihumon angrily slashed at a statue with his right front paw, reducing it to rubble with very little effort. He sighed and his friend shook his head.

"No. Don't you think I thought of that?"

"Of course old friend."

"I know it's hard Baihumon but that's life and when it comes to them life is even harder. I know how hard it was for your partner to live the life he was set, how many things had to be sacrificed and were sacrificed on his behalf without his consent. I know how much he lost, will lose and will lose again but by choosing his own fate he chose what fate assigned to him in the first place but an even trickier path."

"He will never be happy, not truly."

"Perhaps he will, if there is any justice in the universe."

"If he were here now he would say the only thing the universe has is pain."

"If my partner were here perhaps he would say the same. It's hard to believe after all these years that he still is so bitter about this day, it's said time heals."

Baihumon looked skywards, memories flowing through his consciousness. "We have seen more time than most yet that wound is still as fresh today as it was... today."

"Hmm." Azulongmon murmured, "Of all the scars they carry for both of them this is the greatest."

"The burden is upon his heart, and the scar is on that so the burden rest upon the scar. I don't think he will ever truly trust again, from this his attitude changed. The fighting he once abhorred he now relishes as it's the only way he can forget his pain, his betrayal by that which is supposed to be most sacred."

Azulongmon turned to face him, "Fear? Of being hurt."

"No."

"Then what?"

Baihumon cast his eyes down for a moment, "Fear of what he is."

Ben had re-materialised next to his friends, with Raine curled up around his shoulders the dragonet chirped a hello. Mimi patted his scaly head and gave Ben a brief peck on the cheek that made the Traveller wince, everyone bar two individuals began inspecting Ben's wounds. The two were Angelus and 'Kari', the Light still embodying Tai's sister. They were kneeling beside Sora's body, which had had a blanket draped over it, Angelus's face was emotionless with the Light too a bastion of silence. The Light spoke first:

"The time of change is soon complete."

"Why the hell should I believe anything you say? You, Aeth, Gennai - you've all lied from the very beginning."

"The end justifies the means."

"Spoken like the a-typical voice of self-righteousness."

"Destiny calls you Gatekeeper."

"Men who crave power look back on all their mistakes and their lies, gather them all together and call it 'Destiny'."

"An interesting if irrelevant philosophy."

"It's from a film actually, and I'll give a tenner to anyone who can name it." Angelus stood up. "This is not destiny, it has been manipulated since chapter one of this god damn story. Sora shouldn't have had to die; her end is not justified by ANY means. I will make him pay I will make ALL PAY WHO CROSS ME!"

The Light took a step back; Angelus stood and began to pulse with white light. "Angelus?"

"THOSE WHO DO NOT DECLARE SHALL BE DECLARED. I WILL HAVE REVENGE ON THE BASTARD WHO DID THIS AND HEAVEN HELP ANY OF YOU WHO GET IN MY WAY!" The last two words boomed out around the valley as a swirling vortex of colour swallowed Angelus up and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Well" Davis said, rubbing his hands together then patting 'Kari' on the back. "Congratulations, I didn't know what you did to enable our emotionally volatile friend to completely lose his frail grasp on what passed for his sanity but you've certainly done it now."  
"Yeah, nice one." Tai scoffed, "Any idea as to what that whole 'those who do not declare shall be declared' thing was about?

Armadillomon asked, "Where's he gone?"

Ben looked sadly at the place Angelus had been, "To his fate."

"Could you be a mite more specific about that? A location maybe?"

Ben nodded, "I think I know where."

All of a sudden there was the gentlest knock on the door, a barely audible rat-a-tat-tat. Gennai's pulse quickened and every set of eyes focused on where the noise had come from.

"There's somebody at the door." A Knightmon said.

"Gee, you think?"

"Should we see who it is?" Asked another dumbly, the first looked at its comrade and cracked it around the head with his shield.

THUMP

_THUMP_

**THUMP**

The door boomed. Three very loud thumps that felt like a trio of elephants had been catapulted into it echoed through the temple so loud were they sprinklings of dust came from the ancient ceiling.

"Maybe he'll go away."

"Really?" Asked one of the SkullGreymon, "A pity. I want to kill him."

"If you get a chance to you mean."

"Silence!" Gennai hissed, and an eerie calm descended upon them all. For a while nothing seemed to happen and Gennai breathed a silent sigh of relief, if Angelus believed the temple was empty and abandoned he may go somewhere else. Then Gennai went pale, but the doors were obviously barred and the temple sealed and the 'A' target still was on his chest the tiniest beam of light was coming from between the doors and it was at that moment he realised Angelus knew he was inside.

**_KAAAAAAAAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOM!_**

The temple doors exploded inward in a shower of lethal wood and metal shards. Gennai cried out in alarm and threw himself behind a pillar a great plume of smoke and shards billowed past the stone either side. The noise of a thousand shrapnel pieces peppering the walls with tiny holes rung in his ears and shook him right down to his toes.

The two SkullGreymon had been instantly deleted by the blast being as they were right next to the doors when they were blown open. Gennai when the dust had settled gingerly walked out from behind his shelter, stepping through the remains of granite, wood, metal and one of the six massive hinges that had been twisted beyond all recognition. Smoke dust and ash all still floated downwards yet the room was unnaturally light, the light was streaming through what was now an archway into the sacred building. About 20 Knightmon still stood, or rather were still living many were trying to stagger to their feet. Some of the Digimon had been crushed by the fallen masonry, other were wounded but most just seemed to have been stunned Gennai couldn't help fearing the lucky ones were the ones who had been destroyed before they knew what had occurred.

  
Gennai picked his way down the few steps that had lead up to where he'd been standing, coughing with all the dust that was clogging up his lungs. He drew one of his swords and moved slightly forward, he signalled for the Knightmon to get ready and shuffled even closer to the doorway.

Closer.

Nothing happened.

Closer still.

Nothing happened.

One more step and he'd be outside, sunlight was glinting of the tip of his sword.

Nothing happened.

Then Gennai noticed it, or rather the absence of it, he looked down at himself and found that the target had gone. He chuckled and a smile of relief broke out on his face, Angelus was gone, the fool must have used so much power in destroying the doors he'd destroyed himself in the process. Foolish to the last it seemed.

"Sir?" The most senior Knightmon alive asked, "What now?"

"He's gone." Gennai tucked the samurai-style sword back in his belt, "Guard the entrance in case the DigiDestined arrive and if they do escort them to me, if the Traveller arrives kill him."

"Which one?"

"If it's Aeth let him past, if it's any other Traveller especially the one known as Ben and Aeth has failed to deal with him significantly then erase him."

"Target acquired." Came an unfamiliar voice, Gennai paled and turned around finding as he did so the 'A' symbol, back both brighter and stronger than before. From out of the archway floated a figure clad in ornamental ivory white armour, silvery white hair hung down to his middle back. A sword was at his belt in an ornate scabbard, the light (which Gennai thought had been coming from outside) was actually being radiated from the levitating figure - mostly from his both iris and pupil-less eyes.

"I AM BECOME GATEKEEPER, DESTRUCTOR OF THE CORRUPTED." The figure pointed an accusing finger at Gennai, "AND YOU SHALL BECOME A CORPSE."

Gennai face had been white before but now it was the whiteness of ice, he wasn't able to reply he just took two steps backward involuntarily. He only snapped back to reality when he heard the sound of Angelus, no, Gatekeeper's feet hitting the cold stone floor and the sudden war cry of the remainder of his army. The Knightmon, swords drawn charged at Gennai's brother who just stood his ground until the first one leapt at him slashing downwards with it's huge broadsword. The white warrior quicker than the blink of an eye drew his holy blade sliced upwards and cut through sword and shield and armour and digital bone. The two halves of the Knightmon landed either side of him, then began fizzing away into nothingness. The others paused in nauseated wonder as the remains vanished completely; Angelus raised his hand and beckoned the next one forward.

The leader, rather braver than the rest called out to Gennai, "Run Master Gennai, we will hold him off." The robed man nodded despite his shocked stupor then took off as fast as he could for the catacombs.

As Gennai ran the Knightmon all drew their swords and advanced in a horseshoe formation towards the Gatekeeper who smiled wryly. One charged him, sword met sword as Gatekeeper spun around, a high blow parried easily with straight block. One Knightmon tried a thrust from behind but the possessed Angelus jumped into the air, landing precisely on the flat blade and kicking the creature in the face. It's neck snapped backwards and it fell, Gatekeeper twisted his sword downwards and plunged it into the Digimon's throat; It disappeared also. He leaped again as a sword slice through the space he'd just occupied, parrying the stroke Gatekeeper somersaulted into the air in a twisting motion, at the peak of the jump his sword flicked out and the offending foe's head bade farewell to his neck.

Three down. Seven remained.

Gatekeeper threw his sword into his left hand and used the momentum to continue swinging the sword upwards, knocking the sword of the fourth flying out of it's grasp. The sword stuck in the wall, wobbling in mid air above a suit of armour carrying a spear. The Knightmon rolled to the side and dived towards the spear, Gatekeeper put his hands on his hips and yawned. The spear carrying Knightmon threw its new weapon at the white warrior and cheered as it struck him dead centre of the chest. This elation was snuffed out as Gatekeeper looked down and plucked the weapon out of him without so much as a flesh wound to show for it. Gatekeeper examined the spear point in a detached way.

"Man forged."

"Ah."

"Ah." Gatekeeper agreed.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Finished the interchange three seconds plus a spear throw later and another Knightmon fell.

The leader looked around, the others wanted to turn and run and one did but Gatekeeper was not going to let him. It puffed as it ran, all that armour weighed a lot and it'd barely made it out of the ravaged temple entrance before a shadow blotted out the sun, a winged messenger of death swooped down and carried the Digimon aloft as though its weight was as nothing to him.

Which was probably the case.

"Let me go!" The Knightmon pleaded and looked up into the unnervingly calm face of its assailant. Gatekeeper simply nodded then let go, but by this time he had flown to the very ceiling of the cavernous theatre. The Digimon screamed as it fell to its doom, landing as it did with unquestionable accuracy on another two Knightmon that were hiding by a fallen pillar.

Landing once more, Gatekeeper advanced on the remaining three Knightmon with little concern for the sharp swords they carried. One jumped into the air but Gatekeeper did too and landed a reverse kick in its solar plexus sending crashing back downwards. Landing the floored Knightmon got up and tried a diving thrust, but Angelus pointed two fingers at him and with a flicking motion of his arm the Knightmon was spun away through the air to land in a pile of rubble. Thrown by invisible hands at terrifying speeds.

Turning Gatekeeper sent the leaders sword spinning away only to twist and push the remaining enemy backwards into the wall with a series of powerful swings. Although they did not make contact with flesh and were well blocked were strong enough to cause the knight to be forced back. This adversary met a messy end when the possessed chosen one sliced through one of it's legs, Gatekeeper seemed to look at his sword for a moment after he pulled it out, tossed it slightly in the air and upon catching it rotated the sword 180 degrees and thrust backwards past his side and under his arm to impale the Knightmon with the air miles through the chest. His free hand pushing backwards on the pommel only served to increase the severity of the stroke. It gasped and fell in a heap of dissolving data.

  
The leading Knightmon was the last to fall, Gatekeeper launched a flurry of sword blows that by skill or dumb luck the Digimon was somehow able to avoid. Knightmon breathed a sigh of relief and felt brave enough for one last attack, Gatekeeper hued at him then held up a hand. The air seemed to ripple as reality changed within the great hallway and the Digimon ceased movement. Frozen in mid air Knightmon tried to scream but couldn't as the deity brought his palms together then pushed both away from each other. The light noticeably flickered and the Digimon was unceremoniously ripped in two by unseen forces.

  


Gennai hurried down the stone steps, cursing his choice in clothes, the sandals and robes were slowing him down and he so very needed to move faster - Much, much, much, much faster. Above him some way above him in fact a door was thrown open, light flooded the area several floors above him. Gennai scowled and retreated down another staircase into a dungeon area, the floor of this prison was dotted with bones and Gennai had to carefully pick his way through them. Gatekeeper meanwhile wasn't bothering with stairs he was simply floating downwards, the candles near or around him as he past exploded into purple flames and burned with an unnatural light and ferocity.

Gennai broke into a run down a corridor only to realise he no longer knew where he was, he knew where he wanted to go but this was the wrong way. Cursing his ill luck he turned around, only to find himself staring at a white wide-eyed warrior blocking his path. Gennai swallowed, Gatekeeper had caught up with him.

"So brother, this is it."

"I am Gatekeeper." Gatekeeper took a pace forward, electricity crackled and jumped along the walls, the cell doors were blown open, the cover for one of the oubliettes was thrown upwards by a jet of high pressurised steam. "You have broken sacred law by instigating the demise of the bearer of the crest of Love. I hereby dispense judgement on you in accordance with those laws." Gatekeeper drew his sword, "And I will take great pleasure in doing so brother."

Gennai drew two swords from his belt, a pair of twin katana blades and held them in a defensive posture. "If we're going to do this let's do it. I'm a busy man"

"And I'm missing a good episode of 'Highway To Heaven'." Gatekeeper said sarcastically, flexing the grip on his sword.

"Cute." Gennai spat, his agitation giving way to anger. "Come on then! BRING IT ON ANGELUS!"

Gatekeeper calmly ran a thumb down his sword blade slightly, testing its sharpness. "As you wish traitor."

And Gatekeeper attacked

* * *

_Zombie Sora: Urrrrr, arg!  
AAUK: You didn't bring ANOTHER zombie here did you?.  
DC: Meh, can you really have too many zombies in any one particular fanfiction collection?  
AAUK: I thought you'd kinda milked the idea dry in 'The Adventures of Marky-Mark and Benny Boy'.  
Zombie Sora: BRAINS!  
AAUK: *rolls eyes*  
Zombie Sora: STAINS!  
AAUK: *Taps foot*  
Zombie Sora: TRAINS!  
AAUK: ENOUGH ALREADY!  
_

_****__ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
_Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... Free.... is the magic number...."


	33. All Kinds Of Darkness Pt 2 Control :...

**Redux I: Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own any previous chapter, or plot device - that way we are at no fault for any thing relating to this fanfic.... there that should get us off the confusing plot scott free! Is this talk and type thing still going? Ah... damn it._

**Chapter 33 - All Kinds Of Darkness : Pt 2 - Control**

Inside the paradoxically cluttered yet vast space of Angelus's head an equally vast battle was taking place, equal in intensity and seriousness as the one going on outside in the real world. Taking into account the fact that there were at present at least three personalities fighting for dominance it's easy to say things between the three were a little frayed. It all seemed to happen as soon as the Light had told them what had happened and more specifically why, the actions taking place however had been bubbling subconsciously for sometime. The catalyst, or match if you will to light the fuse of this powder keg of a psychology student's nightmare that was Angelus's psyche was the seemingly innocuous decision by his lady love Sora of stepping in the way of an arrow meant to kill him. This set about a chain of events that led Gatekeeper, the dormant representation of all the angelic powers contained by Angelus' divine-half self to coerce a vengeance fuelled Angelus to cast off his mortal inhibitions and become the true persona of the being known as Gatekeeper.

Okay so that's not true.

After all his unseen Machiavellian scheming Gatekeeper had when the 'Angelus' part of Angelus' subconscious been distracted by his rage had done the equivalent of walloping him in the back of the head with a rock. Angelus had turned around stunned and a bit on the staggering side only for Gatekeeper to hit him again upside the head with a slightly larger rock. Where these rocks came from in a mindscape that seemed to comprise only of a dank white cloudy fog was neither here nor there.  
And so with 'Archangel' the persona of the human-half of Angelus not being a divine entity and also not possessing a holy broadsword, Sherman tank or small arsenal of indigenous rocks had little chance in stopping GK seizing power of Angelus's body and going after Gennai.

Archangel stooped and examined the back of Angelus's head, a sticky red smudge was there giving an accurate location for his wound. Under the circumstances, with GK trying to eradicate him by merging with Angelus thus removing all 'human' aspects permanently and with Angelus himself now dead to the world Archangel in his navy cargo shirt and blue jeans summed it all up nicely. "That wasn't very chivalrous now was it?"

Gatekeeper opened his eyes, "It matters little. All that matters is the annihilation of the corruptor, my enemy."

Archangel ran a hand through his messy dark brown hair and stood up. "My enemy?" He blinked, "You said my enemy? Since when did you come to talk in the singular?"

Gatekeeper just closed his eyes and smiled, and at that moment Archangel realised he was truly in trouble.

Gennai leapt avoiding the Gatekeeper sword, Gatekeeper just swung the blade around to try another slice downwards but Gennai parried the strike.

"This isn't particularly Angelic?" Gennai taunted, "Why don't you get out of your little war game and see Reality for what it is."

GK spun into the air, bringing his arm down onto Gennai's and knocking a katana from his grasp, Gennai flung his elbow around and managed to send GK sprawling. The holy blade of the demi-god flung away but at the cost of his second weapon. Gennai jumped into the air and brought his knee downwards onto Gatekeeper's spine, the warrior just pushed himself up in a press up position throwing Gennai off. Rising up into a forward cartwheel a white boot caught Gennai under the chin, before a spinning kick sent the former guardian staggering off into a wall for support. Gatekeeper swung around with a right hook, followed by a left uppercut and a sweeping roundhouse kick to the side of the head. Gennai's head bounced unceremoniously off the brickwork and it was only the fact that at that moment he couldn't stand up straight that saved him from a knife-edge chop that would have no doubt crushed his windpipe. As such his drop to his knees enabled Gatekeeper' hand to slice into the wall removing a fair size chunk of it.

Gennai landed three punches in Gatekeeper's stomach before rolling away to the two swords that he had possessed. He raised them threateningly, Gatekeeper merely looked at him almost with an air of amusement before raising his hand only to have his sword diligently fly over into his grasp.

"There is always darkness with light, even within you and I Angelus." They crossed swords once more and Gennai was forced backwards down another flight of stairs as a sack full of blows rained down upon him. Gennai pushed his robes out of the way as his feet made contact with dungeon floor again.

"There is no Angelus, only the force known as Gatekeeper."

Gatekeeper snarled and spun his sword outwards, Gennai leant backwards and the blade narrowly missed his scalp burying itself in the wall.

"That's reality Angelus!" Gennai sliced downwards with one of the blades, yet Gatekeeper brought his gauntleted hands together and stopped the blade before it reached his head.

"Reality has no meaning to you or I, yet I see truth in darkness and you only see yourself."

"Riddles? How pathetic" Gennai tried to run Gatekeeper through with his second katana; Gatekeeper brought his knee up and deflected the blade sideways.

"Coming from somebody who's spent the majority of their life giving cryptic advice to a bunch of schoolchildren I hardly find that comment accurate."

"Touché."

Gennai was thrown backwards by the force of the next swing, he lost his footing and fell rolling over and over down yet more stone cut steps. Gatekeeper raised his hand and the ripple effect was once more visible in the air, suddenly Gennai flew upwards back up the steps flying through the air only to pause just as suddenly some five feet from Gatekeeper. A flick of his fingers and Gatekeeper sent his brother's form spiralling back down again with increased venom straight through a rock wall.

Archangel's face hardened as Gatekeeper laughed and his eyes fell upon the sword by Angelus, not quite sure what the hell he was doing he reached down and wrapped his hand around the hilt

  
Gennai coughed and spluttered and tried to push himself up using the ruins of the wrecked wall as a brace. There was a sudden feeling of cold metal at his chin, blue eyes flicked upwards to meet with two spheres of unfathomable hatred.

"Are you ready to die now Gennai?"

"Oh brother."

"Is that a yes or a no?" Gennai went to speak but was cut off, "- Sorry, times up." And Gatekeeper raised his sword up ready to strike.

  
Archangel thrust the sword forward and was surprised to find it impale Gatekeeper through the chest. The angel blinked disbelievingly before muttering some curse and collapsing. It was at that moment when Archangel was suddenly aware of one other thing. He was now in complete control of Angelus's body. In front of Gennai the image of the staunch white warrior flickered to be replaced by a youth in a blue cargo shirt and blue jeans, a mop of brown hair on his very un-angelic face. Archangel looked down and then up at Gennai.

  
"Ah frell."

And then it was Gennai's turn to go on the offensive.

* * *

_Zombie Sora: Urrrrr, arg!  
AAUK: You didn't bring ANOTHER zombie here did you?.  
DC: Meh, can you really have too many zombies in any one particular fanfiction collection?  
AAUK: I thought you'd kinda milked the idea dry in 'The Adventures of Marky-Mark and Benny Boy'.  
Zombie Sora: BRAINS!  
AAUK: *rolls eyes*  
Zombie Sora: STAINS!  
AAUK: *Taps foot*  
Zombie Sora: TRAINS!  
AAUK: ENOUGH ALREADY!  
_

_****__ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
_Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction.net - "Free your mind... Intel Inside - Dum dum dum de dum!"


	34. Chasing Wingy :DC:

**

* * *

Redux I: Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_ArchangelUK and DC do not own Digimon, or anything else much for that matter. As a matter of fact, we ourselves are owned in part by Toei. Lousy soul-stealing cel frame._

**Chapter 34 - Chasing Wingy  
By Digicowboy**

The entrance to the temple was, quite accurately, dead. The air was thick with deleted data, motes of the defeated moving slowly in the ancient air of the once inviolate holy place.

That was all changed now. The once impressive doors, higher than any man could reach, were now scattered liberally around the landscape, both inside and out the great hall. Wrecked pillars and columns were everywhere. Since the purpose of these pillars was presumably to hold up the ceiling, this was probably not a good thing. The air resonated to the ominous creaking of tortured stone, and mortar and crumbled slab combined to fall from the walls and ceiling in thick suffocating clouds, heralds of collapse to come. The ruined temple stood as a monument to the wrath of the Gatekeeper, and its shattered structure spoke eloquently of death and destruction.

Yet, despite that, or possibly because of that, someone was approaching. His battle was finally, for the moment, over, but his friend's wasn't, as far as he knew. And what kind of friend would he be if he didn't lend him a hand?

_A smart friend._ He though wryly. It was true that Angelus could almost certainly look after himself – this was a guy who held the energies of not one, but two cosmic entities inside himself, wielded a truly fearsome broadsword, and was last seen by the Digidestined in full-on, Gatekeeper mode. Something of a Berserker, apparently. And that was exactly why Alzari was worried about him, he supposed. An Angelus out of control was not an Angelus anyone would welcome with open arms. And despite everything had happened to them in the last few wonderful, hellish weeks, he still couldn't disassociate Angelus The Gatekeeper, from Archangel, the guy he had spent many happy hours online talking with. Well, bickering amicably with. And if Archangel needed his help, he'd sooner die than disappoint him.

Yes, well. Best not dwell too long on the 'die' aspect of that one. The way he was feeling, it was quite possibly a avenue he'd be exploring sooner than he particularly wanted to. His cuts and gashes, not to mention the unbearable pain in his chest of shattered ribs, torn flesh and his own blood congealing on his skin, were bleeding more than he liked. But then again, if the Universe operated on what he liked, Aeth wouldn't have beaten the tar out of him. Come to think of it, if the Universe operated on what he wanted, this whole fiasco never would have happened. He shrugged. If Frosty Jacks were wishes, Tramps would all live in fabulous mansions. Sincerely hoping that that was an indication of the amount of blood lost, and not just a thought he would have had anyway, he staggered on.

He still wasn't very good at using the staff, and given his state at the time, he shouldn't have been altogether surprised when his tear had dropped him not at the entrance of the temple, but almost a mile out into the surrounding desert from an unexpected height of seven feet above ground level. Still, it was a real inconvenience, especially considering the fact he had managed to knacker his right ankle upon landing on some less than cushioning flat rocks, which on closer inspection had turned out to be some far-flung wall from the temple. But that had been some time ago, and he had almost reached the entrance to the temple, or what remained of it. Raine, fluttering overhead anxiously, darted into the cavernous entrance and then out again, concern somehow apparent in his chittering and creeling.

Alzari passed through the door, leaning heavily on the staff, looked around, and whistled, impressed. Either, he concluded, Angelus had been here and done a real number on the place, or he was in the wrong temple. Given that as far as he knew there was only one temple like this in the entire Digital world, he rapidly dismissed option number two.

"Hello?" He called out in the interests of discovery, and received nothing for his trouble but some rather interesting acoustics in his returning echo. The whole structure, at least here, was obviously structurally unsound. As if to emphasise his point, the ceiling above him chose that moment to release another shower of crumbling stone and dust. Alzari merely sighed and closed his eyes as the debris settled to the floor all around him, making him resemble a statue of himself. He beat the worst of it off, and wearily set off on his way. Maybe it was just the pain clouding his thinking, but he was more or less resigned to the fact that this was going to be one of those days. At the other end of the hall, he encountered several passages, branching off in multiple directions. Being as he couldn't follow the all, and that he was feeling very tired, he looked up at Raine, circling overhead like a faithful Vulture. Responding to some unseen call, the small creature swooped down to perch on Alzari's head. His long serpentine neck curved down until he was looking Alzari inquisitively in the eyes, albeit upside down.

"Raine, can you find Angelus? What passage did he go down?'"

The Dragonet cheeped knowingly, and launched itself off of his head, near driving Alzari's neck into his chest. He may have been young, but you certainly felt it when he launched himself off of you. Raine swooped around the tunnel entrances, diving in and out of sight each time he explored one, looking perhaps for some scent or fragrance Alzari couldn't detect. When he had flown a little way into each one, he flew back to Alzari and landed on his shoulder.

"Well?" he said, a hint of impatience entering his voice. Raine yawned into his face, curled his tail around his owners neck, and promptly fell asleep. Not helpful. Evidently he'd have to either figure it out or take a blind guess. Closer inspection revealed that of the ten possible passages, only one wasn't buried in at least two centimetres of the dust of years. Passage number five, then, seemed like the best choice. He slogged on, his paces frequently punctuated by a litany of "Ow. Ow. Ow."

It was a long passage, and it didn't seem to lead anywhere other than further on. He was just wondering whether or not he should go back, when he saw a light further on down, and he quickened his pace.

The light came from a torch mounted in a wall bracket. This being the Digital world, it didn't seem to die down or need fuel, but gave off a steady, illuminating glow. On the wall opposite it, a mural of carved stone was displayed. Alzari gave it a cursory glance on the basis that it was more interesting than unending, featureless stone wall, and then started. He was fairly sure he recognized the people depicted therein. One of them was Gennai. The other was Angelus. The two figures stood back to back, swords turned against an endless wave of darkness that reached out to them with clawing hands. Their faces were set and impartial. Alzari knew very little indeed about carving rock, but this was evidently something that had seen a lot of work go into it. Of course, knowing the Digital world, who was to say they weren't here when the temple was created out of nothingness? If you knew how to bend the rules, the Digital world might as well be a big malleable ball of clay. He moved on. In due course, he came to another torch, and another mural. In this one, the figure of Angelus was more prominent, his face righteous and unforgiving. Gennai, he thought, looked somewhat disgruntled. Equally, from the dark hordes, a figure was becoming more apparent as a separate being. He carried on. After a few more murals, he realised that was he was passing was more or less a timeline. Once you'd figured that out, it was a bit easier to understand. Over the years, Angelus had become more and more prominent, and Gennai's figure stayed the same shape. His face, however, was gradually affecting an expression of dissatisfaction, jealousy, and even anger. The figure from the darkness took on shape over time, until a third prominent figure joined Angelus and Gennai in the mural. He recognized it all too well as Arnakmon, the former Keymaster. He shuddered involuntarily as he gazed upon the all too lifelike relief of the huge entity.

The next series of murals saw a progression of battles between Gatekeeper and Keymaster and their outcomes. Alzari wasn't at home with numbers at the best of times, and these certainly didn't count as the best of times, what with the pain and the bleeding and the fatigue and all, but from what he could tell, they seemed to win about half each. More or less. Give or take. But he had pretty much known all that before, so what he was really looking at was Gennai, who's features were by now twisted into an expression of inarticulate fury. He suspected that he probably hadn't been making that face at the time, but it was probably a fair indication of Gennai's general mood at the time. He continued to walk and watch the murals. All of a sudden, the corridor took a sudden turn, as did the murals. From here onward, he noted with a feeling of more than unease, someone had taken a great deal of time and effort to desecrate each and every image in a very special way.

Someone had chipped Angelus's head off in every image, with great care, leaving a blank space from the neck upwards. If the graffiti artist was who Alzari thought it to be, it was somewhat past the macabre stage. Worry began to gnaw at his stomach. Previously, he had always assumed that Angelus was more than capable of looking after himself, whatever the situation – was he not a God, more or less? – but against the power of this ages old, festering hatred, against planning that spanned beyond his own lifespan, even Angelus could have serious problems. It was even more imperative that he find his friend, as soon as he could.

* * *

"So what now?" Davis asked, breaking the long silence that had surrounded the Digidestined ever since Angelus and Ben had left. They were numb, uncertain. Tai and Matt had improvised a shroud for Sora, who had been, against all their insistences, taken away by the authorities. Nobody else, it seemed, remembered the dreadful ruination of the city that had seemed so very real, and the Digidestined wandered the streets in a daze, their partners close to them. It was a while before anybody answered.

"I guess we wait and see." Shrugged Izzy despondently. "Since we don't know what happened to them, or where they went, we can't tell when they'll be back, or even if they'll-"

"'No." Mimi said in a voice thick with emotion and conviction. "They'll come back. I know they will."

"I sure hope so, Mimi." Sighed Joe, keeping a careful eye on Kari, who was still inhabited by the now silent Light, the representation of the largely benign design of the Universe. Their friend's pupils were still widely dilated, and no real expression showed itself on her face or in the depths of her eyes. TK, Tai and Gatomon were worrying themselves sick about her, but they couldn't get any response out of her. Joe's own theory was that The Light had its attention elsewhere, but was unwilling to vacate it's host body on this world just yet, so evidently it intended to return, and to return soon. In the meantime, it probably wouldn't hurt to get her somewhere quiet and calm where she would be away from the ebb and flow of urban life. It would be good for his friends, too. They needed somewhere to go to begin to absorb all that had happened. As for Joe, he pushed his own grief and turmoil aside, mental and emotional both. His friends needed him, and he had to look after them. There would be time enough later to sort it all out in his head. They had tried earlier, and without success, to enter the Digiworld, but it looked like they were stuck here for now. No matter who had tried, the gates remained resolutely closed. And so they walked, as Joe tried his hardest to think of somewhere calm and quiet that would be relatively free of people at this time in what was, to most people, a completely normal day. So far, he had been drawing a blank. From inside his backpack, Gomamon sighed. As if the death of Sora hadn't been enough, Biyomon had been nowhere to be found. Joe couldn't see any way to see this situation end happily. The Digidestined rounded a corner, and Joe almost bumped into a woman who had been standing there.

"Sorry." He mumbled, and then looked up as the details of the woman's clothing jogged something in his memory, "'Miss Takenouchi!" he gasped.

"Jasmine will do just fine, Joe." She smiled wanly. "Come with me, all of you. It's very nearly over, and I need to take you to where you have to be." They followed.

* * *

At that moment in time, Alzari was devoutly wishing he had someone to take him where he had to be. Several minutes ago he had started to hear raised voices faintly in the distance, and the clash of steel, and he had accordingly picked up the pace. However, when he had rounded the next corner, he realised he had stumbled into a veritable rabbit warren of tunnels and passages. He had desperately struck out at random, there being no helpful dust to aid his choices, and he was almost certain he was getting increasingly lost in the labyrinthine passages. His vision fluttered in and out of focus, and he'd lost so much blood that he was only a few steps away from forcibly dragging himself along the unforgiving floor. His breath came in ragged gasps that felt like they were tearing his lungs apart. If anyone came across him now with hostile intent, the only resistance he'd be able to offer was puking his guts up over their shoes. Suddenly, he realised that he hadn't heard anything for a few minutes, and that could only mean two things. Either he had, in actual fact, been going down the wrong passage and he had passed out of earshot whilst immersed in his thoughts, or, one way or another, the fight was over. Neither prospect filled him with wild hope to any extent, but it was too far to turn around, so he trudged on in a haze.

He was tired.

A few minutes later, the tunnel widened out into a larger space. The temple, it seemed, had extended far past what he'd been told. He looked around bleary eyed, not really taking in architecture or anything of the sort. And then he saw something that, as far as he was concerned, put the tin lid on the whole affair. He gagged futilely, feeling that threatened vomit rising in his throat. It was ultimately useless though, and he near doubled over, the contents of his stomach pouring from his mouth in heaving convulsions. The staff fell from his hands to clatter on the floor, and he staggered a few steps away from the horrifying spectacle before darkness overtook him as he slowly fell forwards, his body having given all that it could. His head hit the floor with a reverberating smack, and as Raine screeched and screeched overhead in fear and confusion, a dark shape detached itself from the shadows.

And advanced...

* * *

_Who won the fight between Angelus and Gennai? Will DC ever manage to get a reliable floppy disk? What terrible monstrosity awaits in the temple and what is the true objective of The Light and Jasmine? Tune in next time for more Redux: Reality Redux!_

_**ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)  
**_Sponsored (In no way at all) By - "Free your mind... do you have a valid licence for possession of that mind sir?"


	35. All Kinds Of Darkness : Pt 3 Justice of...

**Redux I: Reality Redux  
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy**

_We do not own Digimon or any other anime, except of course the crappy cartoon Wix drew on the back of a beermat the other day, yeah that was pretty bad. But we stole it! MWAH HA HA!_

**Chapter 35 - All Kinds Of Darkness : Pt 3 - Justice of the Furies**

The wall exploded as the young man was thrown through it with a great viciousness, were it not for the divine blood flowing through his veins his bones most assuredly would have shattered from the impact. Not that he would have noticed this as death would have been instantaneous. Gennai laughed as his brother coughed up a small portion of that divine life-force onto the catacomb floor.

"Oh dear, I trust this means I'm now fighting the essence of humanity in Angelus?"

Archangel, now in control of Angelus merely coughed up more blood, Gennai smirked victoriously. "Fool, you took away a possible victory for what, for the sake of living yourself? How selfish of you."

"Not for the living or, or... for the surviving - for the cause."

"Cause? What cause?

Archangel rose unsteadily to his feet, and not quite sure as to what the hell he was supposed to do now grasped the fallen Gatekeeper sword. "Someone like you or Gatekeeper wouldn't understand."

"Pathetic."

"Is that so? Care to prove that?"

Gennai unleashed a flurry of blows that Archangel managed to block clumsily the last one however did nick his side though. He winced before unleashing his own attack, which Gennai deflected with little effort before stifling a yawn.

"Well this is all very entertaining but I'm afraid our little chat is over, after all your life is shortly to end."

"All I see is talking Gennai, where's the action?"

Gennai responded by hurling Archangel through yet another wall, the youth skidded to a halt by a pillar in a room Gennai knew only to well… a pathway to the Chamber of the Dragon.

"Okay… so there was some action." Archangel groaned and his eyes rolled back into his head.

_In the misty midst of Angelus' mind Archangel found himself once more, he hurried over to the slumped figure of the real Angelus who was next to the impaled Gatekeeper._

_"We are dead thanks to us." Gatekeeper rasped, conscious now but with his own blade buried deep within his guts._

_"I frelled up! We need Angelus back"_

_"Surprises us not. You too weak to fight a god, we are more worthy."_

_"Unworthy I doubt, I took you out of commission didn't I? Where was that in your grand scheme of revenge?"_

_"WE RIP YOUR SOUL OUT WE SHALL!"_

_"OH SHUT UP!" Archangel was surprised when the divine fury suddenly abated, but only a little. "We need him back before we're all killed."_

_"Not possible. I am no longer able to take control."_

_"I wouldn't let you even if you were, Angelus needs us to work together to find fulfilment and his true self – there's no point in the two of us arguing like this he'll never be whole otherwise."_

_"There is nothing that matters except for the will of Gatekeeper!" Gatekeeper roared._

_"He is you dumbarse! When are you going to realise that!"_

_Gatekeeper thought about this for several long valuable seconds before finally saying. "Suggest we do what?"_

_Taking that to mean what did he want the demi-god to do Archangel frowned. "Where three were one must remain."_

_Gatekeeper looked over towards the crumpled heap that was his true self, the combination of humanity and divinity of Archangel and himself. "So be it." He said._

_Then with a great flash of light Archangel and Gatekeeper disappeared…_

Gennai smiled as he stood over Angelus, or Archangel or whatever he was now, it looked like he wouldn't need that backup plan in the chamber of the dragon after all. With a cry of triumph his sword flashed downwards towards his brother only for it to be blocked by a pair of hand clamping on either side of the blade.

"What?!"

The image of his brother flickered and once again became that of Angelus, growling he pushed upwards and katana and owner flew backwards onto the floor. Nipping up from the floor Angelus looked down at Gennai and the elder man scrambled back away from him.

"This is... impossible."

"The impossible is one of my specialities."

Angelus advanced and Gennai's resolve began to fail, he parried the first blow easily but Angelus just kept coming forward, purest hate blazing in his grey eyes. The swords clanged and spanged against each other, a shower of sparks flew off into the darkness as Angelus's blade skidded down the side of one of Gennai's. Immediately Gennai tried to use his momentum to bring his elbow into Angelus' face but the winged male ducked bringing his foot into Gennai's stomach pushing him backwards down into a corridor. Angelus jumped slashing downwards and Gennai brought both his swords up in a cross to catch the Gatekeeper Sword the sound of metal on metal squealed outwards.

"She was weak like you." Gennai growled, "Is that the best you can do brother?"

Angelus snarled and Gennai thrust him backwards with a powerful push, Angelus fell on his back and Gennai went for the kill twisting his sword around he jabbed downwards but Angelus in turn twisted to the side and the blade only nicked him. He rolled backwards and attacked again and once more Gennai blocked, this time following up with a spin attack but both swords clanked against Angelus's blade. Gennai finished with a last ditch stab but Angelus deflected it and with a lightning fast flick sent one of Gennai's Gemini katanas down into the black abyss.

Angelus didn't smile but Gennai growled, bellowing a war cry he jumped forward but Angelus sidestepped and as Gennai landed punched him straight in the face knocking him down a flight of stairs. Angelus simply jumped down the few stairs and roaring sliced his sword down Gennai blocked the blow by pushing the flat of his blade up with his boot. Rolling backwards he got to his feet in time to stop another series of strikes, Angelus was pushing Gennai back perhaps the only way he could win now was to make Angelus angry. Angry enough he made a mistake.

"She died so easy. Pity. Sora always was the resilient one, she must have grown soft hanging around you."

"Don't you dare even speak her name murderer!" Angelus glared menacingly at Gennai then attacked again, Gennai dived to his right and sliced across Angelus back the katana slicing through the leather but not the skin.

"Why not?" Gennai taunted, "Are you embarrassed brother that for someone so powerful you were unable to save her?"

"ENOUGH!" Angelus yelled still covering his wound but his brother laughed.

"You will die Angelus, there can only be one Warrior of the Light and I am the one chosen. Why else would The Light inform me of the prophecy? Your Traveller friend shall perish by Aeth's hand and I shall rule The Three from my temple. There are so few boundaries to me now I know the extent of my power, all those who appose The Light and its ideals shall perish and so shall YOU."

Gennai dived at Angelus and the two fell down the final steps, down into a kind of sub-basement or large dungeon hallway, a pair of swords scuttled along the floor as they grappled. The former mentor elbowed the Gatekeeper in the ribs and went for something in his belt, a split bladed dagger. He managed to draw it and thrust it at Angelus who held his arm by the wrist, trying to prevent the blade cutting him. They fought this way for around thirty seconds before Gennai brought his head back and slammed it into Angelus's temple, the youth was temporarily stunned and Gennai stabbed the knife into his side.

"AHHH!" The warmth of trickling blood replaced the cold steel as Gennai removed the knife and tried to slash his brother across the face. The knife partly struck home, the double blade leaving a pair of parallel cuts down his right eyebrow and across his cheek. Angelus was lucky the blade did not pluck his eyeball from his socket but the pain was very real, Angelus kicked out with his foot and the knife spun away. Then he brought his foot back again so the heel hit Gennai in the back of the head before delivering one final kick that knocked Gennai through the air onto his back.

Angelus coughed and was rather disturbed to find there was blood with the spittle that came out of his mouth; blood was also streaming from the wound in his side. He prayed nothing major had been punctured by the vicious daggers strike and also that the blood seeping from the cuts near his eye would cease so he could see properly. Painfully slowly, mainly because it was painful Angelus half-crawled, half-dragged himself across the floor in the direction his sword lay. Gennai rolled onto his knees and held his jaw, turning he saw Angelus's laboured movement in the direction of his weapons and in turn starting crawling to his sword.

Both reached their respective steel at the same time and got to their feet, the left hand of Angelus trying to stem the crimson tide that emanated from his body and was turning his shirt an ominous black. Gennai took a deep breath – they were now in the Chamber of the Dragon.

"It hurts?"

"Gee, what do you think?"

"I think you're going to die."

"Well you're just a fountain of generosity today aren't you?" The Gatekeeper sword was raised into an attacking posture. Gennai's eyes flicked to the side and saw it, just as he had planned; hidden behind a pillar was his bow and arrows – a contingency. Not only that he found his first katana on the floor again.

"Well are you prepared to die now Gatekeeper?"

"I am not Gatekeeper."

"No, the real Gatekeeper could have defeated me - he had me on the ropes for a while as you know. You, you're just another pathetic human."

"You're wrong." Angelus smiled and Gennai's heart fell, Angelus despite his wounds took a pace towards him. "The battle was not just being waged in here today, but in here." He tapped the side of his head, I have seen what it is to be Gatekeeper and seen what it is to be Archangel but now the warring is over and I am myself. I know who I am."

The smile grew and on Angelus's forehead appeared a yellow trident shaped symbol, a pair of small golden triangles appeared too on either cheek.

"I am Archangel. I am Gatekeeper. I am Angelus. I am all and I am none but in the centre I am one. I am whole, I am complete I hunt you when you're in your sleep. I am the shadow by your side; I am the light which blinds your eyes." Angelus again stepped towards Gennai purposefully, "I have not had my life turned upside down to have some bastard like you rule the world, I choose my own fate and that fate is to kill you."

"You can't brother, to do so would be to turn your back on what being an angel stands for!"

"You're hardly in a position to give me lectures Gennai."

"If you want to die, come and die."

"Like I said." Angelus readied his sword. "I make my own fate."

And so it began, the final combat of Gennai and Angelus, knight against knight, sword against sword, brother against brother, demi-god against demi-god. At first Gennai was able to keep Angelus at bay but all too quickly blows started coming faster and stronger, parrying a horizontal stroke the first of Gennai's two kitana blades bent ominously a second identical blow shattered the divine steel sending splinters all over the floor. Its twin now held with two hands faired slightly better and Gennai did manage to make Angelus retreat a few paces with a furious spinning assault but the white haired warrior, hair and face stained red by the blood flowing from above his eye just kept coming. With a bellow of fury Angelus sliced clean through the blade and through the stone pillar behind it, dodging this arc of death Gennai hopped backwards and picking up the dagger cut the concealed rope that led activated his backup plan.

The slackening of the rope let fly an arrow from Gennai's concealed bow, it flew straight and true until to Gennai's utter horror it stopped in mid air a fraction before Angelus' throat. Angelus simply growled and the arrow turned around to face Gennai zooming straight through his left shoulder.

Gennai, his mouth in an O of shock and pain collapsed backwards against the wall, but did not fall down. "Do you think you can kill me with THIS!?!" Angelus roared, marching up to the bow and ripping it down from its concealment with the quiver containing a remaining twelve arrows.  
"This was it wasn't it? This is what you killed Sora with?"

"I…" Gennai gasped, "I…"

"ANSWER ME!"

After a painfully long pause he replied, "Yes."

"Graaaaaaaaagggh!!!" Angelus threw down his sword and using the bow fired a second arrow into Gennai's other shoulder.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhaaaa!"

"You're going to die now you bastard, die by your own weapon you killed my Sora with - I believe that will be justice enough."

"You can't..." Gennai began, but Angelus had already fitted another arrow to the bowstring.

"Kiss my divine ass, you son of a bitch."

"Please brother, pleeeease mercy!"

Gennai looked up at Angelus, his response was a familiar red A symbol appearing on his forehead. "Go to hell."

And Angelus loosed another arrow.

And another…  
And another…

By the time Angelus would break the bow over his knee and leave the Chamber of the Dragon that quiver would be empty and his heart wailing in sorrow and howling in fury Angelus let loose _another_ arrow.

* * *

_AAUK: So Gennai is dead! HUZZAH!  
DC: Huzzah! And all is done and dusted, we can go home the prophecy is fullfilled.  
AAUK: Exactly, but is the Light done with Angelus and Ben yet? What are the ramifications of the actions revealed here?  
DC: There's only a few chapters left in the epic story Reality Redux!_

_**ArchangelUK 0:o)  
Digicowboy c):o)**_

_****_Sponsored (In no way at all) By Fanfiction . Net- "Free your soul... subject to government inspection and correct permits under statute 196 of European Law."


End file.
